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historical girls' clothing fashion costume styles countries Hungary
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Historical Girls' Clothing: Countries--Hungary
Figure 1.--This cabinet card shows two sisters sitting on a white bench in matching sailior dresses. This looks like a German portrait, both the photographic set and pose as well as the outfit. The studio is not identified nd the back is difficult to male out bdcause if black ablum plaperglue residue. We can make out 'Souvenir', an English word which for some reason appeared caninet cards done in Eastern and Cenbtral Europe. But we make our Hungarian words, so we know the girls are Hungarian. The white bench helps to date the cabinet card tothe early-20th century.
Hungary is today a relatively small country which for several centuries was connected to Austrtia through the Hapsburg ruling dynasty. This meant in effect a connection to the German European community. We thus see a substantial influence in clothing and fashion, including children's fashion. One important attribute is sailor styling, at timese seen in girls' styles. Hungary was at times a competitor to Austria in centrl Europe before being absorbed into the Hapsburg Empire (16th century). Hungarian influence resaerted itself in the Firmatioin of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a dual monarchy (1860s). This confirmed Hungarian control of aeeas of central Europe with non-Hungarian populations (principally Romanian, Slovak, and Ukanian/Ruthenian), but leaving fashion imprints there. The Hungarian control was largely a Hungarian nobility owning land worked by the local peasantry. After World War I, Hungary was striped of its non-Hungarian ethnic populated areas leading to irredentist movements, but eventully the country's modern borders. The Hungarian fashion imprint was, however notable in the areas once controlled. The Hungarian influence was often expressed with trim, varying from region to region. This was originated in folk or peasant clothing, but over time affected city fasion as well, becoming a kind of national styling. Because Hungary was a small, not especially prosperous country in central Europe, our photographic archiue is realtively limited. As far as we can tell, it would be difficult to destinguish betweem Hungarian and Austrian/German images based on clothing. We think this is especially the case with girls clothing. We even see similarities in how the children were posed in photographic studios. The cabinet card portrait here looks very much like a German cabinert card. The girls wear matching sailor dresses. The portrait awas probably taken in the 1900s decade. At the time, Austria was still part of the Austro-Hunagrian Empire. Hungary broke with Austria after World War I and became an independent country (1918). Even so the German influence continued, primarily because of the very substantial German fashion industry.
Hungary is today a relatively small country which for several centuries was connected to Austrtia through the Hapsburg ruling dynasty. This meant in effect a connection to the German European community. We thus see a substantial influence in clothing and fashion, including children's fashion. One important attribute is sailor styling, at timese seen in girls' styles. Hungary was at times a competitor to Austria in centrl Europe before being absorbed into the Hapsburg Empire (16th century). Hungarian influence resaerted itself in the Firmatioin of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a dual monarchy (1860s). This confirmed Hungarian control of areas of central Europe with non-Hungarian populations (principally Romanian, Slovak, and Ukanian/Ruthenian), but leaving fashion imprints there. The Hungarian control was largely a Hungarian nobility owning land worked by the local peasantry. After World War I, Hungary was striped of its non-Hungarian ethnic populated areas leading to irredentist movements, but eventully the country's modern borders.
There were two basic fashion styles in Hungary, a patten common in Europe, especilly central and eastern Europe where in modern times feudal patterns persisted longer than in Western Europe. The first was fashionable urban styles. Aristocratic and middle-clasa styles in Budapest and the other cities were commonly the styles influenced by French and to a lesser extent Germany. This was a kind of pan-European style. And while there were national and regional variations, a Hungarian city girl would not feel out of place anywhere in Europe. Second was peasant or folk styles commonly worn in the countryside. In this predomimately agriculturl country, this until after World War II was where the bulk ofthe popultion lived. While we do not have 19th century images, we do have some from the early-20th century. The Hungarian fashion imprint was also notable in the areas once controlled by Hungary.. The Hungarian influence was often expressed with trim, varying from region to region. As in other countries, peasant styles persised for women abd girls longer hn men and boys. This was originated in folk or peasant clothing, but over time affected city fasion as well, becoming a kind of national styling.
Limited Information
Because Hungary was a small, not especially prosperous country in central Europe, our photographic archiue is realtively limited. As far as we can tell, it would be difficult to destinguish betweem Hungarian and Austrian/German images based on clothing. mWe think this is especially the case with girls clothing. We even see similarities in how the children were posed in photographic studios. The cabinet card portrait here looks very much like a German cabinert card (figure 1). The girls wear matching sailor dresses. The portrait awas probably taken in the 1900s decade.
Chronology
we do not yet have any nform,ation on the 19th century, owing pimarily because of our smll hungarin archive. At the time, Hungary Austria was still part of the Austruan ir after 1866, Austro-Hunagrian Empire. Only with the turn of the 20th century do we beh=gibn to acquire hungarin imges. yry Hungary broke with Austria after World War I and became an independent country (1918). Even so the German influence continued, primarily because of the very substantial German fashion industry. We do not begin to see major fdion chnges in Hungary until after Worlkd war II when tghe communjsts seized cintrol of the country. Hungarin farms were collectivized, but not sas comprehensiveky s in the csivietunion. The govenment pursued economic programs aimed at industrilization. Yhis was a enchung chnge in a largly giculturl natioin, While this did not create the kind of prospeity developing in Western Europe it did integrate the still substantial peasant population into a more egaltarian national society. Even before the fall of communism (1989), Hungarian girls fashion was moving toward the pan-European styling prevalent in Europe today.
