Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden, fictional character, a gaily dressed coquette in the novel Barnaby Rudge (1841) by Charles Dickens.
Dolly’s memorable costumes led to the naming for her of a style of 19th-century woman’s ensemble consisting of a wide-skirted, tight-bodiced print dress worn with a white fichu (light triangular scarf) and a flowered hat with a wide, drooping brim. She was also commemorated in the naming of the brightly coloured Dolly Varden trout.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Dolly Varden
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
15 February 2013
Access Date:
November 14, 2026