… competed with the influence of French fashion designers. Charles Worth of Paris was actually from England, but made a name and had extreme input to Victoria’s style. He invented the term “costume”, meaning “the right thing for every event”, and he introduced crinolines and hoops.
His costumes for balls and masques introduced new ideas that would be used in the early 1900’s as designer Poiret’s “hobble skirt”.
(Left: Charles Worth gown 1865 with hoops; Right: 1870 ball costume)