Figure 1.--This caninet card depicts am unidentified girl and her little brother. They are wearing identical sailor-styled dresses. The only difference we note is the sleeve lengths. We are not sure if this was done on purpose or had any meaning, but notably short-sleeved shortys did not yer exist for men and boys. . The neckwear was also different. The boy had a neck floppy bow which was popular for boys, but not girls at the time. Thev girl has a neclace. I don't understand the boy's waistline stripes. They look about 5-10 years old. Thed photographer was J. West, Bradford, Pennsylvania. We are not sure how to date this portrait, but would guess it was made about 1890 because of the mount, light-colored stockings and floppy bow.

Sometimes we see siblings wearing different or even similar dresses. We do, however, see only a few portraits where brothers and sisters are wearing identical dresses. This may have been more common when clothes began to be made ready made because the same dress could be found in different sizes, but identical dresses could be ordered from millinaries as well. Images with the children wearing identical dresses are not very common, but we have found some so quite a number of families practiced this convention. There are instances in which the whole family wears the same dresses, but here this was limited by the age of the older boys who were old enough to breech. Thius age factor means that usually we are talking about portraits of at the most three children. We notice various styles. These dresses could be quite fussy, in part because they were often dresses worn by older girls. Simple white frocks were, however the most common choice. Almost always, identical dresses involved a little boy and his big sister.

Creation

Sometimes we see siblings wearing different or even similar dresses. We do, however, see only a few portraits where brothers and sisters are wearing identical dresses. This may have been more common when clothes began to be made ready made because the same dress could be found in different sizes, but identical dresses could be ordered from millinaries as well.

Chronology

Here e are primatily talking about the 19th century. Thev 19th century was the last century that younger boys commonly wore dresses. We begin to see fewer younger boys wearing dresses in the lare 19th century, espdecilly the 1890s. A few very young boys wore dresses in the early-20 century, but this conventuin was rapidly disappearing and as a result by the 20th century there were very few examople of brothers and sisters wearing identical dresses.

Age Factor

Images with the children wearing identical dresses are not very common, but we have found some so quite a number of families practiced this convention. There are instances in which the whole family wears the same dresses, but here this was limited by the age of the older boys who were old enough to breech. This age factor means that usually we are talking about portraits of at the most three children. Usually identical dresses involved a little boy and his big sister as we see here. Sometimes we may see two sisters or two very young boys, but usually we find a pair. The boys almost always are noy yet school age, neany 6 years old. Older bioys would bean exception.

Styles

We notice various stylesm of dresses being wirn by brothers and sisters. These dresses could be quite fussy, in part because they were often dresses worn by older girls. These might be seen as girl styles. Simple white frocks were, however, the most common choice because plain styles seem more accdeptable for boys. These were baically functional summer frocks. Saior dresses like the dresses here also seem popular for tyhese identical dresses, appsretly because saikir styles were a major biys' style asc well as populasr for hirls as well.

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Created: 3:17 AM 4/27/2010
Last updated: 5:50 AM 4/25/2021