Figure 1.-- common fashion in the 1880s was for younger boys to wear dresses. We note a boy's sailor dress for a 3-5 year old boy offered in Le Monde during 1885. Le Monde was the most important French language newspaper in Montreal. Sailor suits were very popular at the time. Boy dresses were done in many different styles, one of which was sailor styling. I think patterns wee beg offered here rather than finished garments, but we are not sure. |
A common fashion in the 1880s was for younger boys to wear dresses. We note a boy's sailor dress for a 3-5 year old boy offered in Le Monde during 1885. Le Monde was the most important French language newspaper in Montreal. Sailor suits were very popular at the time. Boy dresses were done in many different styles, one of which was sailor styling. Patterns were being offered here rather than finished garments.
A common fashion in the 1880s was for younger boys to wear dresses.
Le Monde was the most important French language newspaper in Montreal. We do not know much about advetising in the paper.
We note a boy's sailor dress for a 3-5 year old boy offered in Le Monde during 1885. Sailor suits were very popular at the time. Boy dresses were done in many different styles, one of which was sailor styling. TThe garment here is a frint buttoning dress, heavily pleated. Notice the dickey with an embroidered anchor. he ad was headed "Comment S'habiller". The ad provided both a front and back view. It was referred to as a "Manteaus Andréas (dos)" Manteau is commonly used to mean coat, but here seems to be used to mean dress. I'm not sured why it was called a "Mareau Andréas" or what the "dos referred to. The rear view was labeled "Pour petit garçon de 2 à 5 ans (devant)", meamin "For little boy 2-5 years (back)". The ad copy read, "Manteau Andréas. -- Ce joli manteau est fait, en drap beige garni brodée bleu-électrique, boutons et boucle de vieil argent. Prix du patron: 40 cents, au bureau des Modes Françaises Illustrées, 49 rue Saint-André, Montréal." Ths would transkate as, "This pretty coat is made, out of furnished beige cloth decorated with electric-blue embroidery, buttons and buckles of old silver. Price of the pattern: 40 hundreds, at the office of the French Modes Illustrated, 49 street Saint-Andrew, Montreal.
Home sewing was very common in the 19th century. Here the pattern was being offered rather than the finished garment. we are not sure.
One question we had about Canadian fashion was to what exyent French influence existed despite the fact that Canada was a British Dominion. Here we note that an important French fashion house and publisher Modes Illustrées< had an operation selling patterns in Quebec. This suggests that France was influencing Canadian fashion. How strong that influence was is not known at this time.
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