Figure 1.-- Here we see thrre unidentifid siblings. The portrait is undated, but would hve been tasken in the 1910s. Ghe yonger girl has a hairbow and the older sister a very fancy hat. the older sister also has a cameo. The only major difference in the very similar dresses is the length of the skirt. The children look to be about 10-18 years old. There was a postcard back photo with a nessage on the back. The sender (presunanly on of the children, signed the post crd, but the sifgnture is difficult to read. It looks like Lettie B. Mussel?.

We begin to see sunstantial changes in girls clothing during the 1910s. Here World War I. was mjor factor driving chsange. Although stylistic changed, well-to-do women wore fancy dresses and so did their daughters. We see the same fancy outfits and elaborate hats, athough hairbows, sometimes gigantic, became extrodinarily popular with girls, including teenagers (1910s). Girls conducted a virtual arms race to see who could have the largest bow. We also see a variety of hats, some highly decorated. Fob turned fims were popular. Long hair was praised. All girls wore skirted garments. dresses. It was virtually the only basic garment girls wore. Virtually the only exception was the bloomers girls wore for high school gym. While the dress was the basic woman's harment, working women tended to wear a blouse and skirt. At school we see far more girls wearing dresses than blouses and skirts. Long stockings were standard. Both boys and girls wore black long stockings, the girls and younger boys someimes also wore white stockings. Footwear was more varied than that of the boys. We see both low-tops and high top shoes. All this began to change with World War I (1914-18). The War emergency made the frivolity of pre-War fashion seem absurd. And for the first time we see women wearing pants which became very common in war plants. Women and girls worked in mills, indutrial fctories were the mainsty of men and noys--but by the 1910s boys were being phased out. And in fctories women wore work clothes--commonly pants. Such practical matters rose in importance and we begin to see affecting fashion after the War.

Created: 11:29 PM 7/27/2022
Last updated: 11:29 PM 7/27/2022