Figure 1.--This cabinent card shows five unidentified children. Four wear dresses. The two oldest wear similar dresses probably made with the sane pattern. We are not sure what that type of dress would be called. Boys would have been unlikely to wear these dresses. The portrait was taken at Saylor's New York Studio in Reading, Pennsylvania. The portrait is undated, but the mount helps date it to the 1890s.

Chronological information on girls' dresses is not only a fascinating fashion topic, but will be very useful to HBC. Girls and female fashions in general are more destinctive and thus easy to date than boys' fashions. It will be useful in pursuing several themes. We have some limited information before the 19th century, but most of our informarion relates to the 19th and 20th centurides. We have some early-19th century information. The slim-cut Empire dress was popular in the early-19th century. Large numbers of information only becone available in the mid-19th century because of photography. We want to develop information on dress fashion trends over time. We also want to see how girls' dress styles compared to adult women's styles, especially in the 19th century when younger boys still commonly wire dresses. This will be very useful in improving our ability to date old photographs, many of which are not dated. At mid-century we see girls wearing very full skirted dresses, in some cases with hoops. Then we begin to see dresses with bustles. Dresses by the end of the century could be very fancy, especially party dresses. Girls continued to wear dresses in the 20th century. One exception to wearing dresses was the bloomers girls wore for gym class in the early-20th dentury. We begin to see girls wearing other garments after World War I, but only for casual wear, such as summer wear at camp or around the home. For the most part girls mostly wore dresses or blouses and skirts. Only after World War II do we begin to commonly see girls wearing other garments. Skirts and dresses were still woirn to school. Only by the 1970s do we see other garments appearing at schools. Girls still wear dresses, but it is now more of an option. It is now a choice girls make. For many girls, dresses have become a less important even minor garments, reserved for dress up occassions.

The 18th Century

We have some limited information before the 19th century

The 19th Century

The 19th century is the first decade for which we have extensive information. The slim-cut Empire dress with low-cut necklines were popular in the early-19th century. But this was a style popular in fashionable northeastern cities. Most Americans lived in rural areas and the dresses giels wore there are rately depicted in available paintings. Large numbers of information only becomes available in the mid-19th century because of photography. We want to develop information on dress fashion trends over time. We also want to see how girls' dress styles compared to adult women's styles, especially in the 19th century when younger boys still commonly wore dresses. This will be very useful in improving our ability to date old photographs, many of which are not dated. At mid-century we see girls wearing very full skirted dresses, in some cases with hoops. We some novelty styles like Zouave dresses. Even though photography, especially by the 1860s, provides us a huge quantity of images, readers should bear in mind that the fancy dresses of fashionable urban Americans are over represented in the photographic record. Less apparent is what was worn in rural America. Most Americans still lived in rural America, although the cities were growing. And we begin to see more variation in hemlines, for younger girls. Then we begin to see dresses with bustles. Low necklines went out of style for children. Dresses by the end of the century could be very fancy, especially party dresses. There were plainer styles for school, such as sailor dresses. Baloon sleeve dresses were popular in the 1890s.

The 20th Century

Girls continued to wear dresses in the 20th century. One exception to wearing dresses was the bloomers girls wore for gym class in the early-20th dentury. We begin to see girls wearing other garments after World War I, but only for casual wear, such as summer wear at camp or around the home. For the most part girls mostly wore dresses or blouses and skirts. Only after World War II do we begin to commonly see girls wearing other garments. Skirts and dresses were still woirn to school. Only by the 1970s do we see other garments appearing at schools. Girls still wear dresses, but it is now more of an option. It is now a choice girls make. For many girls, dresses have become a less important even minor garments, reserved for dress up occassions.

Created: 9:15 PM 7/5/2010
Last updated: 3:26 AM 9/21/2011