Its true that the styles of clothing emphasised differences between men and women. Right from the childhood, women in Victorian England were groomed to be docile and dutiful, submissive and obedient. The ideal woman was one who could bear pain and suffering. While men were expected to be serious, independent, strong and aggressive, women were seen as delicate, frivolous, passive and decile.
Norms of clothing reflected these ideals. From childhood, girls were tightly laced up and dressed in stays. The effort was to restrict the growth of their bodies, contain them within small moulds. When slightly older, girls had to wear tight fitting corsets. Tightly laced, small-waisted women were admired as elegant, attractive and graceful. Clothing thus played a part in creating the image of frail, submissive Victorian women.
