Mourning dress and hat
Black silk taffeta
1870s, USA
Lent by Evan Michelson, Obscura Antiques

Contemporary goths appreciate the morbid allure and claustrophobic corsetry of Victorian mourning dress. The symbolism of black has been said to have evolved "from mourning to evening." However, black symbolizies not only mourning but also aristocratic court dress, which was the antecedent of today’s formal evening attire.