The Victorian Era

Victorian Accessories and Jewelry

Article · Fashion & Dress · The Victorian Era, 1837–1901

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Victorian accessories and jewellery were an essential part of the fashion of the period, and they were often the most expensive, the most personal, and the most expressive items that a Victorian would own. The accessories of the period included the bonnet, the hat, the veil, the shawl, the cape, the muff, the gloves, the fan, the parasol, the reticule or handbag, the handkerchief, the brooch, the earrings, the necklace, the bracelet, the ring, the watch, the chain, the fob, the stick, the chatelaine, the cuff links, the collar studs, the spats, and the gaiters. The jewellery of the period included the mourning brooch, the hair brooch, the sentimental brooch, the love token, the engagement ring, the wedding ring, the eternity ring, the signet ring, the mourning ring, the charm, the locket, the chain, the chatelaine, the bracelet, the bangle, the necklace, the collar, the earrings, the ear drops, the brooch, the buckle, the pin, and the watch. The history of accessories is examined in Victorian Fashion and Dress.

The Bonnet and the Hat

The bonnet was the standard headwear of the Victorian lady, and it was an essential part of her dress. The bonnet of the early Victorian period was generally a wide-brimmed straw bonnet, trimmed with ribbons, flowers, and feathers. The bonnet of the mid-Victorian period was generally a smaller bonnet, with a closer fit to the head, and with a wide range of trimmings. The bonnet of the late Victorian period was generally a small bonnet, perched on the top of the head, and the hat, with its wider brim and its more elaborate trimmings, gradually replaced the bonnet. The history of the bonnet is examined in Women’s Victorian Fashion.

The hat of the late Victorian period came in many shapes. The poke bonnet (derived from the 1820s poke), the leghorn hat, the straw hat, the picture hat, the toque, the close-fitting hat, the wide-brimmed hat, the sailor hat, the tam-o’-shanter, the bonnet, the beret, and the turban were all in use. The hat was trimmed with ribbons, flowers, feathers, fruit, insects, birds, aigrettes, jet, lace, and tulle. The history of the hat is examined in Men’s Victorian Fashion.

The Shawl

The shawl was one of the most important accessories of the Victorian period, and it was worn by ladies of all classes. The shawl of the early Victorian period was generally a large square or oblong of fabric, often a Paisley shawl, a Kashmir shawl, a Norwich silk shawl, or a French shawl, and it was worn over the shoulders, around the waist, or over the head. The shawl of the mid-Victorian period was generally smaller and more decorative, and it was worn as a wrap over the shoulders. The shawl of the late Victorian period was generally a small shawl, often in silk, in lace, or in chiffon, and it was worn as an evening wrap. The history of the shawl is examined in Victorian Fashion and Dress.

The Parasol

The parasol was an essential accessory for the Victorian lady, and it was used by every class. The parasol of the period was generally a small, light umbrella, with a handle of carved wood, bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl, silver, or gold, and a cover of silk, satin, lace, chiffon, or tulle. The parasol was used to protect the face from the sun, to provide a discreet screen at the theatre or the concert, and to signal social status. The history of the parasol is examined in How did Victorians use parasols?.

The Handbag and the Reticule

The reticule, the small handbag of the early Victorian period, was a new fashion item, designed to replace the pocket, which was inaccessible in the new crinoline skirts. The reticule was a small bag of silk, satin, velvet, beadwork, or crochet, carried in the hand or on the wrist. The reticule was gradually replaced in the mid and late Victorian period by the larger handbag, with a frame, a clasp, and a handle. The history of the handbag is examined in Women’s Victorian Fashion.

The Gloves and the Fan

The gloves of the Victorian period were an essential accessory for the lady and for the gentleman. The gloves of the lady were generally of kid, of silk, of cotton, of lace, or of lisle, and they were worn at all times of the day, except in the most informal circumstances. The gloves of the gentleman were generally of kid, of calf, of dogskin, of horsehide, or of silk, and they were worn at all formal occasions. The fan was an essential accessory for the Victorian lady, and it was used as a discreet communication device at the theatre, at the ball, and at the concert. The history of the fan is examined in Women’s Victorian Fashion.

The Brooch

The brooch was the most important piece of jewellery for the Victorian lady, and it was the subject of a major industry. The brooch of the early Victorian period was generally a sentimental brooch, often in the shape of a flower, a heart, a hand, a bird, or a symbol of love, and it was set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, jet, amethyst, garnet, turquoise, coral, or amber. The brooch of the mid-Victorian period was generally a mourning brooch, often in jet, in gutta-percha, in pinchbeck, in gold, or in silver, and it was worn as a memorial to a dead relative or friend. The brooch of the late Victorian period was generally a sentimental brooch, an art nouveau brooch, or a flower brooch, set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, opals, moonstones, turquoise, garnet, or amethyst. The history of the mourning brooch is examined in What were Victorian mourning brooches?.

The Hair Jewellery

The hair brooch, the hair ring, the hair bracelet, the hair necklace, the hair watch chain, the hair earring, and the hair locket were all products of the Victorian period, and they were an important part of the sentimental jewellery of the era. The hair of a dead relative, of a dead friend, of a lover, of a child, or of a parent was worked into a piece of jewellery, often a brooch or a ring, and it was worn as a memorial or as a token of love. The hair jewellery of the period was the subject of a major industry, and the great hair jewellers of the period, including the firm of R & S Garrard and the firm of C & R Blacker, all produced elaborate pieces. The history of hair jewellery is examined in What is Victorian hair jewellery?.

The Watch and the Chain

The watch was an essential accessory for the Victorian gentleman, and it was a sign of status. The watch of the early Victorian period was generally a hunting case watch, an open face watch, or a half-hunter watch, and it was carried in the waistcoat pocket, with a chain passing through a buttonhole to a fob or to a small charm. The watch of the late Victorian period was generally a more elaborate watch, often set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, or sapphires, and it was carried in the waistcoat pocket, with an Albert chain (a named chain, after Prince Albert) or a double Albert chain passing through both buttonholes. The history of the watch is examined in Men’s Victorian Fashion.

The Chatelaine

The chatelaine was a decorative clasp or hook worn at the waist, with a series of chains attached, and the chains held a number of useful items, including a watch, a key, a thimble, a scissors, a seal, a pendant, a vinaigrette, a small book, a coin, or a notebook. The chatelaine was a particularly popular accessory of the mid-Victorian period, and it was worn by the mistress of the house, by the lady’s maid, by the housekeeper, and by a wide range of other women. The history of the chatelaine is examined in Women’s Victorian Fashion.

The Mourning Jewellery

The mourning jewellery of the Victorian period was a major industry, and it included the mourning brooch, the mourning ring, the mourning bracelet, the mourning necklace, the mourning earring, the mourning watch chain, the mourning pin, the mourning buckle, and the mourning locket. The mourning jewellery of the early Victorian period was generally in jet, in gutta-percha, in pinchbeck, in gold, in silver, in black enamel, or in one of the other materials, and it was set with the hair of the deceased or with a small portrait. The mourning jewellery of the late Victorian period was generally more elaborate, and it was often set with diamonds, with pearls, with black onyx, with black enamel, or with one of the other materials, and it was worn as a memorial to a dead relative or friend. The history of mourning jewellery is examined in What were Victorian mourning brooches? and in Death and Mourning in the Victorian Era.

The Materials

The materials of Victorian jewellery were many and varied. Jet (a hard, black, fossilised wood, found in large quantities in the Whitby area of Yorkshire), coral, amber, tortoiseshell, gold, silver, platinum, gemstones, paste (imitation), gutta-percha, vulcanite, pinchbeck (a gold-coloured alloy of copper and zinc), black onyx, black enamel, bog oak, and lava were all in use. Whitby jet, in particular, was the principal material of the mourning jewellery of the period, and the Whitby jet industry peaked in the 1860s and 1870s after the death of Prince Albert in 1861 set the fashion. The history of mourning brooches is examined in What were Victorian mourning brooches?.