The Edwardian period was the brief time between the passing of Queen Victoria and the Roaring Twenties. It didn't last very long, but when it comes to clothing, it was a pivotal moment, literally: it marked the pivot from the traditional, all-covering garb that was common for centuries prior, to the flapper look of the jazz age.
Big, heavy gowns with absurd apparatus underneath them began to give way to pristine white shirts and long skirts, far more practical and allowing the possibility of looking professional. Women's professional fashion began to move onto a collision course with men's, as trousers finally became an option.
The corset was replaced with the much more comfortable, healthy, and practical bra, and the petticoats began to disappear one by one. It was a time of sleeker lines, and excellent accessories: leather gloves, high collars, brooches, and much more functional and varied boots.
In the meantime, men's fashion continued the march started by Beau Brummell from the foppish look of the Regency period to the plain, dark suit of the Victorian period. The Edwardian period was the last hurrah of the frock coat, the cravat, and the shirt that goes over your head instead of buttoning up. It wasn't the end of basically mandatory hats - that came in the 1960's - but it was the last gasp of the top hat and the bowler.
Which of these elegant - if not always practical - items do you miss the most? Which suits you the best? Which should you bring back? Let's find out!
