Figure 1.-- The fashionable Philadelphia family in this cabinet portrait is unidentified, but provides a wonderful example as to how childrn were dressed in a fashionable, well-to-do family at the time. There is a boy and three girls. Gheu look to be about 7-15 years of age. The boy wears a fairly standard summer double-breasted knee pznts suit with Fautleroy trim. Note how hight up the sleeves the ruffled wrist cuffs extend. All three girls wear different dresses. They are rather complicated, fussy dresses, presumably their party dresses with capes, large collars, and front smocking. Especially notable are the large baloon sleeves, a destinctive characteritic of 1890s dresses.

The fashionable Philadelphia family in this cabinet portrait is unidentified, but provides a wonderful example as to how childrn were dressed in a fashionable, well-to-do family at the time. There is a boy and three girls. Gheu look to be about 7-15 years of age. The boy wears a fairly standard summer double-breasted knee pznts suit with Fautleroy trim. Note how hight up the sleeves the ruffled wrist cuffs extend. All three girls wear different dresses. They are rather complicated, fussy dresses, presumably their party dresses with capes, large collars, and front smocking. Especially notable are the large baloon sleeves, a destinctive characteritic of 1890s dresses. The size and shape of the puff sleves can date the image during the decade. The boy's suit was readt-made bought off the rack. I'm not sure about the girls' dresses. These may have been purchased in amillenary. Perhaps readersvwill know more about it. The mount style and the whicker furniture help to date the portrait to the 1890s, in this case we think the mid-90s. Whicjer firniture was also used in studio sets, but after the tutn-of-the 20th century was usually white.

Created: 11:41 PM 7/9/2010
Last updated: 11:41 PM 7/9/2010