Victorian Black Mourning Bustle Dress

A black Victorian mourning dress with a bustle at the back: severe, elegant and already Halloween without a single prop.

Mourning dress was the most dramatic thing in a Victorian wardrobe, and it translates well to a New York night out. Keep the styling strict: hair in a tight low bun, a jet or black-bead brooch, a pale base and a dark, precise lip. A short black veil or lace gloves add period detail. A bustle changes how you sit, so perch on the edge of a seat or choose a stool, and give yourself room in a cab. Black boots with a low heel finish the look and handle city sidewalks. Next to a friend in a top hat and long coat, it makes a convincing Victorian couple.

Material: Linen.