Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows two big sisters with their baby brother. All three wear white dresses, but styled differently. The photographer has used a rather rare, charming pose to emphasize how thevgirls look after their brother. The photographer was Wilhelm Baade in Stralsund. The portrait was taken in 1888.

We are not sure yet about family trends concerning boys wearing dresses.. We susoect that boys with older sisters might have been more commonly outfitted in dresses than boys with older brothers. Several factors were involved here. The family dynamics could be different. The mpther may have delt differently and the boy involved as he got older would have felt differently. At any rate, it was up to the mother who in the 19th century had substantial discression in such matters. The photographic record offers some clues as to the family conventions involved.

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Created: 2:16 AM 10/15/2009
Last updated: 2:16 AM 10/15/2009