Figure 1.--This cabinet card studio portrit shows and iidentified American girl wearing a fancy plaid dress. She looks to be anout 10 years old and is sitting on chair. The way the girl is posed, it obcures a major feature of the dress which is an enlarged upper sleeve. This was a very popular style in the 1890s. The date was December 25. 1897. It seems rather strange that a studio would be operating on Christmas Day. The studio information at the bottom of the cards is difficult to make out, but it was located in Evansvulle, Wisconsin.

Dresses by the end of the century could be very fancy and elaborate , especially party dresses. The dresses worn during the decade were among the most elaborate ever worn by girls. The photographic record was still largely studio portraits so we see a lot of formal dresses being worn. They could be voluminous with many stylistic elements like velvet, ribbons, and lace. There were plainer styles for school, such as sailor dresses, and sailor elements on non-sailor dresses. We also see tartan dresses. Dresses were still much fancier than would be the case in the 20th century. Destinctive baloon sleeve *exopanded upper arms) dresses were popular in the 1890s, but this varied during the decade becoming especially notable at mid-decade. The girk here is a example, but because of the pose not vrry notable (figure 1)). This is a very helpful fashion that can be used to date undated cabinet cards. Hems lines depended on age, bit were below the knee even for younger girls. We are not entirely sure how dresses for adults and girls varied. Hem lengths were cerainly a factor. We note sailor styles and plaid as being styles for girls, but we note many of the same style elements. Dresses were almost always worn with stockings rather than socks. Black long stockings were especially common.

Prevalence

We almost balways see American girls wearing dresses in the 1890s. The primary alternative was blouses and skirts. But we have not found maby examples of this in the photographic record. This consists primarily of studio portraits for which people tended to wear their best outfits. School photography was becoming an established tradition by the 1890s and here we also see the girls mostly wearing dresses. There werenom other realm,options for girls, but of course the dresses could be enlessly varied.

Decoration

Dresses by the end of the century could be very fancy and elaborate , especially party dresses. The dresses worn during the decade were among the most elaborate ever worn by girls. The photographic record was still largely studio portraits so we see a lot of formal dresses being worn. They could be voluminous with many stylistic elements like velvet, ribbons, and lace.

Styles

There were plainer styles for school, such as sailor dresses, and sailor elements on non-sailor dresses.

Material

We also see tartan dresses. Dresses were still much fancier than would be the case in the 20th century.

Baloon Sleeves

Promunent baloon sleeves (exopanded upper arms) dresses were popular and destinctive feature of 1890s, but this varied during the decade becoming especially notable at mid-decade. This was not just an American feature, but popular in Europe as well. The girl here is a example, but because of the pose not very notable (figure 1). This is a very helpful fashion that can be used to reliably date undated cabinet cards. Of course the absence of this element does not mean the portrait was not taken in the 1890s, but its presence is a very reliable indicator that it was. It is especially relable for women's fashions, less true for girls. This was probably because school dresses tended to be plainer and more likely to be home sewed than those for fashionable adult women.

Hem Liness

Hems lines depended largely on age, bit were below the knee even for younger girls. We are not entirely sure how dresses for adults and girls varied. Hem lengths were cerainly a factor. We note sailor styles and plaid as being styles for girls, but we note many of the same style elements.

Associated Garments

Dresses were almost always worn with headwear, which could be large heavily decorated hats. We don't get a good feeling for that as most photography was indoor studio portraits. We do almost always seee stockings rather than socks. Black long stockings were especially common. White stickings would increase in populrity after the turn-of-the 20th century.

Created: 1:43 AM 3/7/2018
Last updated: 3:19 AM 9/28/2023