Overview of the period :
Victorian is the adjective commnly used to described the reign of Queen Victoria upon the British Empire (1837-1901). Her reign was the longest of any monarch in the UK; when she came to the throne, Britain was an agrarian power. At the end of her rule, it was one of the industrial leaders of the world.
Politically, late-Victorian Britain also experienced the Irish Home Rule, followed by similar movements in the Welsh and Scottish nations. On the empire front, the Indian Mutiny happened in 1857, inflicting a first blow to Britain’s imperialism.

So now, into the stock-related info:

Fashion in the Victorian era:
Women wore loads of dresses! Skirts and sleeves were disproportionately big. Crinoline was in as well. It was mainly a strict fachion, but ball gowns usually showed the shoulders and the throat.


Men’s clothing was also pretty strict. The coulours they wore in the century before were replaced by gray and black frock coats and jackets.


But, given the length of the Victorian Era, fashion changed throughout its duration, both for women and men.

Victorian Architecture:
Victorian architecture is hugely varied. From Gothic revival to neoclassicism, along with renaissance revival, etc… The best way to describe it is to name a few Victorian cities: London, Glasgow, San Fransisco, New Orleans or even Mumbai (Bombay).



Now, it’s up to you to create your Victorian stock
Apart from the costume-making which may be demanding, I’ll try to give you a few tips:
For “authentic” Victorian models, try and think about the historical background. If you are a woman, you are submissive, most likely uneducated and a good house-tender. Women were seen as pure, and the use of cosmetics was strongly avoided. But don’t forget that since 1857, you have the power to divorce and fight for your children. Nursing, midwifery and doctoring was also made available as jobs for women in the Victorian era.
If you are a man, you can try different thing. The regular Victorian aristocrat, his head full of the money he got from his land in the colonies? Or maybe Jack the Ripper himself??
Many models go for the fancy dress or suit, but poor people did exist in the Victorian era. Try something Dickens-y: you are a poper begging in the streets, in a long coat, with a patched frock and a beret
Victorian also mean colonial. You can grab these old colonial shirts, funny round hats and play Dr Livingstone!
Now this may sound unfair, but if you are and architectural stock, you’d be privileged if you live in the UK, some parts of the US or in a former colony of the british empire. Otherwise, you won’t get much chance besides museums.

If you want a bit of reading, try Dickens or the Bronte sisters as far as Britain is concerned. Go for Emily Dickinson or Mark Twain for the US.

Internet reading?
Wikipedia
Victorian fashion [link]
Victorian architecture: [link]