Speaking of Aesthetic Dress look at this!

They are restoring this dress worn by Ellen Terry [role of Lady Macbeth at London’s Lyceum Theatre in 1888] immortalized in this John Singer Sargent portrait , http://www.ecouterre.com/victorian-era-dress-made-from-1000-beetle-wings-restored-for-50000/

Aesthetes

In the later part of the 19th century the Aesthetes would be inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites.  Here is a cartoon from 1881 making fun of Aesthetes

For More information on Aesthetic dress go to www.fashion-era.com
Here is some information about Aesthetic dress from fashion-era.com:

"Aesthetic Dress Fashion History

Aesthetic dress was a protest against the contemporary fashion for bustles in various forms and restrictive corsets.  In fashion history terms only a very small section of the community ever wore it initially, but it did spread to middle class intellectuals, to artistic and literary people.  Aesthetic dress was made of wool or Liberty silk or velvet fabrics.
Aesthetic fashions were cut looser and was unstructured in the style of medieval or Renaissance garments with larger sleeves.  The dress appeared loose compared with figure hugging fashion garments of the era.  Loose waited corset free women were considered to have loose morals and it did not help that many of the Aesthetic women were thought slightly Bohemian and beyond the normal social conventions and morals of the time.
Above Left -  Dress from a 1905 Liberty catalogue.
The typical fashionable aesthetic lady would have red flowing hair often henna enhanced, a pale face, green eyes and wore heelless shoes.  This model of aestheticism was frequently ridiculed in Punch cartoons where the wearer might be shown with her hair brushed into her eyes.  The idea of red hair itself was ridiculed as red hair was thought of as social assassination."

Rebels of the Victorian Age.... The Pre-Raphaelites

Many do not know of the Pre-Raphaelites... a passionate artistic movement during the middle Victorian Era whose paintings still resonate with us today.

A characteristic of Pre-Raphaelites style with which they painted was to portray women & men in un-corseted bodies with free flowing hair and loosely draped robes and dresses that are reminiscent of the Greco-Roman era and medieval times.  Portraying religious, historical, or common everyday moments in a romantic idealized manner.






Here is a slide show of this movements most notable paintings
I've included paintings by Elizabeth Siddal in the slideshow, her artwork was not as publicized as the men of this era.

photo of Elizabeth Siddal [model for Ophelia]

Regina Cordium

Rest In Peace Elizabeth, 

you will remain in our hearts forever.

Gone

a poem by Elizabeth Siddall

To touch the glove upon her tender hand,
To watch the jewel sparkle in her ring,
Lifted my heart into a sudden song
As when the wild birds sing.
To touch her shadow on the sunny grass,
To break her pathway through the darkened wood,
Filled all my life with trembling and tears
And silence where I stood.
I watch the shadows gather round my heart,
I live to know that she is gone –
Gone gone for ever, like the tender dove
That left the Ark alone