Mourning Dress: A Costume and Social History

by Lou Taylor

First published in 1983, Mourning Dress chronicles the development of European and American mourning dress and etiquette from the middle ages to the present day, highlighting similarities and differences in practices between the different social strata. The result is a book which is not only of major importance to students of the history of dress but also to anyone who enjoys social history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Death, Fashion

327 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1983

Reviews

[C.S. Poe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the most comprehensive and complete study and accumulation of history on the matter of Western mourning costumes, Mourning Dress: A Costume and Social History by Lou Taylor, was a fascinating read and one I consider vital for my own research and writing purposes. Taylor was a professor of dress history at the University of Brighton and integral to developing the specialty. She is the author of several books, has spoken at the European Conference on Arts & Humanities, and has worked intimately with other dress historians and museums around the world. Needless to say, Taylor has dedicated her life to the matter at-hand and has a clear understanding of the time periods discussed herein.

Mourning Dress covers every aspect that built up to the radical, cult-like obsession that the Victorians had with death culture, including a very strong foundation as to mourning costume origins in the West. Taylor highlights the funerals of some famous figureheads in history and includes written account of mourners and their clothing, the costs of materials, the inventory of royalty, and boasts a vast array of photographs and paintings to confirm and backup her research.
Taylor discusses the differences in attire when men died versus women, royalty versus the destitute, and children versus the old, to give us a wonderful and complete understanding of how varying aspects of society within each century changed and how that, in turn, further developed mourning costumes. She includes accounts of European Courts attempting to circumvent the new and socially hungry middle class from advancing beyond their place by making certain clothing/materials illegal during mourning periods. Those families with new money, eager to advance upon the ladder of success, ignored the rules and consequences, and this, by far and large, is how the elegant mourning clothes and rituals found their way to even the poorest in England and America by the mid-to-late 1800s.

Taylor focuses a great deal on mourning clothes from 1850 to the death of Queen Victoria, which is the true meat and potatoes of the book. The regulations according to who was to be mourned, the subtle differences in material and their social trappings, how society essentially ensnared women in this vicious cycle of false mourning (honestly, how could they be expected to go into deep mourning for the cousin of the uncle of their husband?) and she includes personal commentary from some women who voiced such frustrations, and then delves into World War I and how it allowed women to break free and put to death, so to speak, mourning costumes for good.

I am so thankful that Routledge Revivals chose to include this book in their collection, as it was originally written in 1983 and was since, out of print. This is a must read for anyone working in or studying fashion, or for historians of the Victorian era with an interest in clothing, death, and women’s place in society.

[Kendra Gilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps that could be taken morbidly, but the subject of mourning and mourning clothing has fascinated me for many years. The outward show of an inward grief, the beauty of it all and the utter despair entangling together draws to a melancholic part of myself.

This book covered a range of topics from society’s view of widowhood, the importance of a funeral and mourning clothes to a family’s social standing, and some of the superstitions of death. There are a few references to other cultures views and traditions but it does mostly focus on the European view of mourning clothes specifically from the ranges of the 18th through 20th centuries with the majority of that being on the Victorian age of mourning (they seemed to be the most stickler about it). I found myself skimming through these chapters and mostly looking at the photos as I am visual by nature.

All in all, a good read and a wonderful book for those interested in clothing history and anthropological purposes! If the book wasn’t out of print and on the expensive side, it would a book I would keep on the shelf for referencing!

[Rebecca McNamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than thirty years after its original publication in 1983, the aptly titled "Mourning Dress" is still perhaps the most comprehensive book on mourning dress available, grounded in concrete examples of jewelry, dress, art, and primary text documentation. Covering pre-1600 through the twentieth century, focusing primarily on Europe, this book offers an accessible entree into understanding how the material culture of mourning shapes us, and how cultures, as they evolve over time, shape mourning practices. An appendix with popular mourning fabrics will appease the textile specialist while the generalist will be intrigued by the fascinating narrative of how mourning dress fits into our social and cultural histories.

[AskNezka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed history on Euro-American mourning practices, as related to dress and textiles. Some details are given of other cultures, but the majority of information focuses on Western society. Exceptional detail on textiles, dress, and colors.

[Eva Rodríguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

de los pocos libros que hay sobre un tema tan específico como la moda de luto. además, tiene muchas imágenes de época que apoyan excelentemente la narrativa del libro. no es para todo el mundo, pero es muy bueno si se quiere indagar en este tema

[Pien · Rating 4 out of 5]

super informative!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

someone needs to write a book like this but from the American perspective 🤭🤭🤭

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book for 60p at a library sale years ago and finally got around to reading it. As a history book to sit and read it is a little dull. Taylor attempts to provide background for the Victorian and European traditions of mourning by giving references to modern anthropological accounts, which unfortuantely come across as not very well researched. But this book is definitely recommended more as a reference, it has many wonderful illustrations, of both Victorian fashion plates and photographs of actual clothing. Which should be superb inspiration for goths! Taylor also attempted to show the prevalence of mourning throughout Victorian society, from what was required at court, to quotes from poor people in the East End of London. Where the book stuck to fashion it was at it's strongest, however, when it attempted to deal with the wider social implications I felt it fell a little flat. That said I did enjoy the parts about the Hugeuenot weavers and the manufacturing of Whitby jet. Not really one I'd recommend sitting and reading cover to cover. But nice to have a copy of nonetheless.