Widow in Mourning: The Moment of Loss

Widow in Mourning

During the Victorian Era people were expected to adhere to strict mourning practices, especially Widows. For a Husband, Widows were expected to mourn for 2 years and often longer.

Widows in mourning would wear dresses made of fabrics like Black Crepe, a dull matte fabric that symbolized grief. Worn with black bonnets or Veils and carrying a black handkerchief.

I collaborated with Morbid Maker Vintage

A collector of vintage clothing and of oddities based in the local Bay Area. She helped me bring this project to fruition providing me with genuine articles of clothing and pieces from this era to create this Two Piece series.

I wanted to express the empty silent pain

A loneliness, that echoed through a place deep within through the endless longing of a lost forever love.

I find it very interesting that during a time period practices such as these would be required, but when I start to really think about it, we go through this mourning phase regardless, but somehow the symbolic items and attire and designating a time to mourn seems somehow healing.

The Moment of Loss