Figure 1.--This cabinent card shows a mother with three small children about 1-6 years of age. Thr family is unidentified and the photograph is undated. We suspect based on the mount style as that it was taken in the 1900s decade. The children all wear white dresses. The two older children are a boy and a girl and wear identical dresses.

The garments used for identical/coordinating the dress of children, usully determined by mothers, were significantly affected by the garments selected. Here gender was a major factor. Dressing the same gender alike was a relatively a simple matter. Mixed gender families, far more complicated. Skirted garments coukld only be used for younger children unlss the older children were all girls. This could be broadened somewhat if rather than dresses the boys were done up in blouses with similar tops to the girls' dresses. Smocks could be used, although they were generally limited to a few countries. The same issue also related to girls because until after World War II, it wa not coommon for girls to wear pants, including short pants. Again corrdination could deal weih this. Children could be coordinasted with the same sailor blouses and pants for the boys and skirts for the girls. We do not have a lot of examples to work with here as coordinating outfits were not as common in America as in Europe.

Created: 11:41 AM 8/29/2021
Last updated: 11:41 AM 8/29/2021