A-bustle in the boudoir

A Victorian Silhouette, at Sovereign Hill's Gold Museum in Ballarat until November 4, draws on the museum's incredible collection of original Victorian garments and accessories alongside reproductions made by the costume department.

"Female clothing in the Victorian era (1837-1901) reflected the role and status of women in society," said Gold Museum curator Snjez Cosic. "Wealthy and middle class women wore more decorative and elaborate clothing, while the outfits of their working counterparts were simpler.

"With costume one of the most recognisable aspects of Sovereign Hill's interpretation of life on the Victorian goldfields, this exhibition provides visitors with a fantastic opportunity to understand how fashion and women's roles were defined by the Victorian era."

Highlights include a look behind the scenes at the made-to-measure workroom where historical costumes are researched, produced and repaired. Visitors can also peek behind the door of a Victorian boudoir with a film created for A Victorian Silhouette.

Key exhibits include a wedding dress made in 1882 from satin silk and raw silk, worn by Amy Gibb for her marriage to Ernest Henry Lawson in 1882; a polished cotton and wool blend dress worn by Eliza Perrin, a hotel owner on the Ballarat goldfields; and a gown worn by 17-year-old Mary Fenton Whitelaw in 1867 to a ball held to celebrate the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Ballarat.