Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era Paper Dolls

Often characterized by flowery, prudish and fussy tastes, the Victorian era nevertheless produced a surprisingly delightful array of fashionable attire that frequently contradicted conservative attitudes of the day. In this splendidly detailed and historically accurate collection, noted artist and fashion authority Tom Tierney recreates a rich selection of these great fashions, spanning a wide range of outfits and styles.

Ladies' evening and formal attire, particularly, often exhibited a wide décolletage and exposed shoulders. By the 1880s voluminous hoopskirts had given way to narrow skirts and a variety of artificial aids used to accent the female figure. Two dolls, based on the young Queen Victoria and the Empress Eugénie of France, and a total of 28 meticulously rendered costumes capture the elegance and opulence of clothing dating from the 1840s through the fin de siecle.