The Victorian period is very popular and many TV shows have been made which revolved around it. Victorian writers are still held in high regard such as Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and the Bronte Sisters. The outfits which people wore at the time have inspired fancy dress costumes and parties which have a Victorian theme are held every year. So our team at Character Fancy Dress have come up with five Victorian fancy dress costumes which can be worn by people of all ages:
Street urchin
Similar to what Oliver Twist wore in Charles Dickens novel of the same name, a street urchin costume can be worn by both adults and children. This costume can consist of a brown cap, white shirt, brown waistcoat and darkly coloured trousers. A father and son could wear this costume together, such as at a family party.
Flower girl
Girls of all ages sold flowers during the Victorian period and their costumes are very popular. A flower girl costume can consist of a long dress and small bonnet. If a flower girl costume is chosen, a basket can be carried which contains fake flowers. Not only can young children choose a flower girl costume but also her older siblings or mother. When a family party has a fancy dress theme, a mother and her daughter could each wear a flower girl costume.
Chimney sweep
Chimney sweeps have appeared in many films. As well as The Water Babies and Mary Poppins, TV shows have also featured chimney sweeps. Not only can children wear a chimney sweep costume but also adults and it is very easy to recreate. With grey trousers and a waistcoat, a grey cap is also worn. To make a costume even more genuine, buy black face paint and apply it to the cheeks and forehead in order to simulate coal dust.
Maid
In a stately home which was owned by members of the aristocracy, there were a huge number of people which tended to the occupants and also the property itself. Along with a butler, a stately home employed many maids. A retailer of Victorian fancy dress costumes normally has a maid costume. With a white pinny and cap, a maid costume looks very smart and is instantly recognisable.
Sherlock Holmes
Although Sherlock Holmes is a fictitious character created by Arthur Conan Doyle, his costume is well-known. Robert Downey, Jr.’s portrayal of the detective wears a different costume and so too does Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC TV series. This is because Sherlock is set in the 21st century and not Victorian England. There have been many television shows, such as Jeremy Brett as the detective, where the characters dressed in apt clothing of the time. A fancy dress retailer might have an entire Sherlock Holmes costume that is just like what Arthur Conan Doyle described. With his iconic hat, pipe and brown coat, a Sherlock Holmes costume is perfect to wear. If a couple are going to a fancy dress party and want an outfit which everyone will know what it is straightaway, a husband could dress as Sherlock Holmes and his partner as Watson.
Author Bio
This post was brought to you by Alex Prevost form Character Fancy Dress. Check out our full selection of fancy dress costumes by visiting our website.
