Figure 1.-- Here we have two unidentified, identically ddressed Vienese girls about 6-8 years old. They are tendely posed with their stately father with his top hat. Note the the sailor caps and large lace collars worn over their coats. The girls are holding thir bisque dolls. Note that even though the photograph was taken in Vienna, a very cosmopolitan city, the back drop is arural scene. The studio was H.G. Brunn.

Austria or more correctly the Austrran Empire was for several centuries one of the great powers of Europe. For a time it looked like Austria would be the country that would unify Germany. And Austria was firmly set in the Germanic cultural world. Unlike Prussia, Austria built a substantial non-Germanic empire, far outnumbering the Germanic population in Austria itself. Vienna was an important cultural center. Fashions were influenced by Germany and to an extent France. The French influence was primarily on women's and girls' fashions. And Vienna dominated fashions throughout the Empire, at least the urban population. Much of the Empire was, however, both rural and non-German, several differenr ethnicities. France was the primary influence for female fashions througout Europe. Economic and cultural ties to Germany made that country with a huge clothing industry an important influence. One particularly popular style was the sailor-styled outfits. Initially sailor outfits were a boys' style, but also became very popular with European girls, especially in Austria and Germany fior some reason. There were also influences from the non-Germanic peoples to the east that comprised most of the Empire, especially the Hungarians.

Created: 5:11 PM 3/10/2023
Last updated: 5:11 PM 3/10/2023