Dombey and Son: Clothing


Figure 1.--Here is one illustration from a modern edition of "Dombey and Son". Here we see Little Paul and his older sister Florence. I'm not sure who the illustrator was.

Illustrations we have found of Little Paul picture him in what looks to be a dress with a sash. Perhaps it is a kind of tunic outfit, a style that was popular in the early to mid-19th century. There is lace around the cuffs and there is also a fancy lace collar. He does not seem to be wearing stockings. His hair is unkempt and blond. He is wearing strap shoes. In another image, Little Paul is with his sister and wears a much plainer dress (figure 1). It has a belt across the middle. He is wearing shoes without a strap. His hat is by his side. Paul looks sad as does his sister. The image is full of emotion and concern about how the boy is being cared for. The similarity in the two illustrations suggest that Paul's clothing are described in detail by Dickens. I do not know though if Dickens actually describes Paul's clothes in the book. But it would be useful to find some actual references.






HBC




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Created: 5:49 AM 1/11/2006
Last updated: 12:13 AM 1/12/2006