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Our information on the 1870s is still quite limited, but there were major developments durung the decade. We do begin to see more adverisements in the 1870s. One notable trend is that we see the tunic suits disppering as a major style. We also see more stores offering knee pants, especially for younger boys. Perhaps the major development in the decade was the appearance of large mail order stores. Montgomery Ward launched America's most famous mail order business in 1872. There may be earlier companies, but Wards was by far the dominate company. These stores will provide us a major source of information about fashion trends over time. There were department store catalogs and fashion magazines. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines become more prevalent and advances are made in lithography so that they can be better illustrated. Photographs could not yet be reproduced. The note one retailer used photographic CDVs to ad avertize his Lorne suit in 1871. We note patterns be advetized in magazines.
We have found some catalog abnd adverising information that is not dated. We can not determine the specific year they come from, but usually can identify the decade. We did not want to disregard these itenms just because ee could not identify the specific year, especially as 19th century items are more difficult to find that the vast number of 20th century items. And there is alway the possibility of evenually finding the year. Items in catalogs and periodicakls can be dted if we have the original and not just the page. Store advertising is more difficult.
We do not yet have any advertisements for 1870. We do have some patent submissions. As knee pabts and long stockings became ibvreasingly popular there was a need for stocking supporters. We note a patent for a combined stocking supporter and skeleton waist. And another patent for a body brace and supporter.
Advertisements in newspapers and magazines become more prevalent and advances are made in lithography so that they can be better illustrated. Photographs could not yet be reproduced. The note one retailer used photographic CDVs to advertize the Lorne suit in 1871. It was a boy' suit which still had a tunic look. It was advertized as "new style", but looks to us like styles we have seen earlier.
Perhaps the major development in the decade was the appearance of large mail order stores. Montgomery Ward launched America's most famous mail order business in 1872. There may be earlier companies, but Wards was by far the dominate company. These stores will provide us a major source of information about fashion trends over time. A new fashion magazine appeared in 1872--The Delineator. The magazine offered patterns to consumer and is one of the most important sources of information on late 19th century clothing, both in America and Britain. We have archived several items from issues of The Delineator. We will eventually add them to the approptiate annual pages of the catalog section. These entries are very important because The Delineator provided a very detailed discussion of the garment patterns they offered.
We have not found much information on 1874s offersing yet. We do note a beautifully done lithograph fropm S.D. Sollers Fine Children's Shoes in Philadelpgia. The ad is about shoes. Only high-top button shos are displayed. The photographic record confirms that this was the standard footwear for both children and adults. Notice all the different colors. We are not sure, however, how popular the various colors were. This probably varied by age and gender. Here the black and white photograophic record isn't much help. The loiyhograph, however, depicts several children which hekps us bnoth wiyh period styles and colors. We note white long stockings. This was a popular stylke in the 869s, bur declined in the early 20th century. Sometimes styles persisted in illustrations longer thanb n reality.
This of course was the U.S. centenary year. We do not have many sources for 1876 yet. We do have one very valuable source. It is a page from what looks like a Butterick catalog with patterns for a variety of garments. It includes bibs, tuckers, undershirts, suits, jackets, and overcoats for younger children.
We note patterns be advetized in magazines. A good example is patterns boys outfits offered by Harpers in 1878. Note that some of the suits still look something like a tunic, rather a cross between a tunic and jacket. There were also patterns for jackets offered that do not have a tunic look.
We note a Lord & Taylor's newspaper for bathing suits, both for men, women, and children. Interestingly both men and boys wore long pants. I'm not vsure how common that was. I thought that 19th century bathing suits for men and boys used knee oants, but his ad is earlier than any actual photographs we have archived. The women and girls wear pantalettes style pants. Age does not seem to be a factor in the suits, only gender. We do not see any wide-brimmed sun hats. We are not sure if the same styles were worn in Europe. Lord & Taylor's was on the a high-end of the department stores that had opened in New York.
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