Mourning ensemble American The Metropolitan Museum of Art Mourning ensemble, American, 1857 60. Silk wool. In the Victorian era, there was a significant demand for formal mourning clothing, especially due to Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning for Prince Albert, during which she wore Mourning dress. Culture: American. Date: ca. 1867. "Have been all this week in a sad task making up my mourning for my dear Papa & today for the first time put it Photos: 'Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire' WSJ Susan Muncey 19th Century Mourning dress: clothing customs to commemorate the dead