Dating old photographs from clothes worn in the 1900s

Photograph of Princess Colonna, Frederick Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of Princess Colonna
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1900
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7831-1938

The sitter in this photograph is wearing fashions typical of the 1900s. She is wearing a 'lingerie dress', a type of diaphanous gown reminiscent of nightgowns or petticoats. They were made with lots of frills and tiers, usually in white or light pastel shades, and often decorated with lace, ribbons and pin-tucks.

The very early years of the century saw a vogue for light and frothy dresses, and was accompanied by hairstyles that were loose and flowing about the shoulders, often in waves. The look was one of slight undress compared to the fitted tailoring and corsetry of the Victorian age, worn especially for evening wear and for entertaining at home. 

Photograph of Baron Welby, Frederick Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of Baron Welby
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1901
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7841-1938

Here, Baron Welby is shown in formal dress. He is wearing a frock coat, high-fastening waistcoat, starched 'winged' collar, and a top hat. 

Top hats were still worn by the upper classes for formal wear, though bowler hats and boaters were now common for general and casual dress.   

Photograph of W.A.S. Benson, by F. Hollyer

Photograph, portrait of W.A.S. Benson
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
About 1900
London
Platinum print
Museum no. 7914-1938
Given by Helena Hollyer, 1938

Hollyer was the photographer of choice for the artistic set of the late 19th century. His 'Portraits of Many Persons of Note' fills three volumes with nearly 200 portraits and comprises a pictorial Who's Who of late Victorian and Edwardian celebrities. William Arthur Smith Benson was a metalwork designer and a founder-member of the Art Worker’s Guild, which gave birth to the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society in 1886. In 1914 he helped found the Design and Industries Association, dedicated to the improvement of industrial design.

His clothes reflect his activities as a proponent of 'Artistic' dress - a late Victorian movement that encouraged looser and more naturally manufactured clothes, fabrics and dyes. His jacket is not as sharply tailored and stiff as those preferred by his more formal contemporaries, and his collar is low.

Christening gown, designer unknown

Christening gown
Designer unknown
1910s, England
Linen, trimmed with embroidery, lace and ribbon
Museum no. MISC.217&A-1982
Given by Christine Boardman on behalf of her parents, Mr and Mrs Frederick Hazel

Over the years this Christening gown has gained the nickname of ‘The Bin Dress’ because an observant member of the donor’s family pulled it out of a dustbin in the early 1930s and rescued it for further use. It is unlikely that the Museum will ever know the true story of its presence in the bin: perhaps a dispute or even a tragedy, or maybe by then it was simply too old-fashioned? Its lace decoration is in a style that was particularly fashionable around 1900, but by the 1930s, when the dress was thrown away, the latest Christening robes were often much shorter than this and made of synthetic fabrics that were easier to iron.

Photograph of David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Balcarres

Photograph; portrait of David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Balcarres
Frederick Hollyer (1837-1933)
1900
England
Platinum print
Museum no. 7699-1938

The sitter in this photograph is a Member of Parliament, and is shown wearing formal business dress of the 1900s. He is wearing a jacket, waistcoat, high starched 'winged' collar, and sports a fashionable curled moustache. 

Though male fashions did not change as rapidly as women's, his waistcoat is fastened lower on the chest than was fashionable in the 1890s.

Photograph of Henriette Henriot, by C.H. Reutlinger

Photograph; portrait of Henriette Henriot (cabinet card)
C.H. Reutlinger (photographers)
1910s
England
Albumen print
Museum no. S.137:417-2007

Photography was a novel and exciting development in Victorian days. Many people had studio photographs taken, in everyday dress or fancy dress, for ‘cartes de visite’, and later ‘cabinet cards’. Both were albumen prints made from glass negatives, attached to stiff card backing printed with the photographer’s name.

‘Cartes de visite’, the size of formal visiting cards, were patented in 1854 and produced in their millions during the 1860s when it became fashionable to collect them. Their subjects included scenic views, tourist attractions and works of art, as well as portraits. They were superseded in the late 1870s by the larger and sturdier ‘cabinet cards’ whose popularity waned in turn during the 1890s in favour of postcards and studio portraits.

This photograph shows the actress Henriette Henriot in stylish dress. Her bosom is low and round in the shape of a puffed 'pouter pigeon', considered the height of fashion in the 1900s and especially around 1905. Her hair is piled in loose waves on top of her head, and is pushed slightly forwards over her forehead. 

Golfing ensemble, F. Bosworth

Golfing ensemble (skirt, jacket, belt, cap and club)
Frederick Bosworth
About 1908
London
Museum no. T.20,A to D-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Along with bicycling and croquet, golfing was a very popular sport with women of the 1900s. Special sporting corsets were made so that they could play with some degree of comfort, and masculine inspired fashions were created for the practicalities of time spent outdoors. Sporting ensembles like this were created in warm, tailored tweeds, with skirts that were off the ground and not too voluminous.

Summer day dress, designer unknown

Summer day dress
Designer unknown
1905, Great Britain
Printed striped cotton, with a yoke neck of tucked Broderie Anglaise frills and pin-tucked collar with a tape lace frill
Museum no. T.21 to B-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Crisp-looking blue and white dresses such as this were popular for boating and seaside wear. It is decorated with lace, frills and pin-tucks, to give a soft and feminine appearance. The bodice is ruched and draped to createa low, puffed chest shape that was very fashionable in the 1900s, especially around 1905.

This dress was worn by Miss Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. Miss Firbank was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name', according to M. Benkovitz in 'Ronald Firbank: A Biography' (1970).

Embroidered velvet coat, Marshall & Snelgrove Ltd

Embroidered velvet coat
Marshall & Snelgrove Ltd (retailers)
1895-1900
London
Embroidered velvet, satin and lace
Museum no. T.49-1962
Given by Mrs A. Poliakoff

This Paris couture coat reflects the influence of the European Arts and Crafts Movement. It features a medieval-style collar and is entirely covered in dramatic sprays of an English wildflower called 'Sweet Cicely' hand-embroidered in yellow and green silk, with petals of white felt.

The influence of the Arts and Crafts movement is apparent in this coat, hand-embroidered with sprays of an English wildflower called 'Sweet Cicely' (Myrrhis odorata). In the 1880s William Morris and other English artists rejected the dominance of the machine in British art and design. Their attempts to preserve the traditional designs and craftsmanship of textiles, furniture, ceramics and architecture created the Arts and Crafts style. Wild flowers were popular motifs, evoking the simplicity and charm of English country life, now vanishing in the face of urbanisation and the industrial revolution. Echoing these concerns, ‘Aesthetic’ dress of the 1870s rejected the fussy and upholstered look of women’s fashion. Although at first ridiculed, many of the decorative features of ‘Aesthetic’ dress were absorbed into mainstream fashion by the 1890s.

Marshall and Snelgrove were one of London’s exclusive department stores, founded in 1837 by James Marshall who was succeeded by his son in partnership with John Snelgrove in 1871. Bespoke dressmaking was an important feature of their store on Oxford Street and the coat combines the fashionable high collar and full sleeves with the artistic design of the embroidery.

Driving Coat, Hammond & Co. Ltd.

Driving Coat
Hammond & Co. Ltd. (tailors)
1906-8
London
Woven houndstooth check tweed, lined with silk and woven wool
Museum no. T.96-1963
Given by Sir Phillip and Lady Joubert

This versatile double-breasted coat made of a heavy wool would have been ideal for outdoor wear. At the turn of the century a growing interest in sports and leisure pursuits led to more relaxed clothing for men. Comfortable clothes were needed to ride a bicycle, drive a motor car or play golf. This resulted in a range of informal styles that fed into mainstream fashion:

'A man's wardrobe is now almost as varied as a woman's. He has different costumes for walking, riding, driving, visiting, boating, hunting, shooting, golfing, bicycling, tennis, and cricket, dining, smoking, and lounging, football, racing, and yachting, to say nothing of uniform and the Court suit, besides the now developing motor-car costume'. (Mrs Humphry, 'Manners for Men', London 1897)

This suit has two slanting hip pockets with flaps and a small ticket pocket at the waist seam on the right-hand side. A tailor's label, stitched to the right inside breast pocket, is inscribed with the words, 'Hammond & Co., Ltd., 465 Oxford Street., London Fo 501 Mons. Paul Cocteau'. Paul Cocteau was the brother of the French writer and film maker Jean Cocteau. He preferred to purchase his sporting dress in England as he considered it to be the best quality.

Mourning dress, designer unknown

Mourning dress
Designer unknown
About 1900
Great Britain
Wool trimmed with mourning crape and lined with glazed cotton
Museum no. T.107:1,2-2003

Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning for her husband, Prince Albert, made the practice of wearing mourning dress a social norm. Women wore full black mourning garb for one year after losing a husband or close family member, and less strict versions for a further year. Elderly widows often stayed in mourning attire for the rest of their own lives. The practice came to an end around the time of the First World War.

The skirt seen here is A-line in shape, typical of the early 1900s. It is trimmed with chevrons of mourning crepe.

Suit, designer unknown

Double-breasted suit
Designer unknown
About 1904
Great Britain
Flannel woven with a thin vertical pin-stripe, with mother-of-pearl buttons, and sleeves lined with cotton
Museum no. T.159&A-1969
Given by Mrs Brooks

Light-coloured suits such as this became popular in the 1890s. The matching coat, trousers and waistcoat in pin-striped flannel (known as 'dittos') were accepted dress for summer sports and holidays. The outfit was often completed with a straw boater.

The striped jacket had originally been worn for cricket, tennis and rowing and it became fashionable for seaside wear during the 1880s. The cut of this jacket is derived from the earlier 'reefer' coat, usually worn for sailing. The infiltration of sporting dress into informal styles of clothing shows how social conventions were relaxing in the late 19th century.

Conventions in dress applied to informal as well as more formal wear. It was important to be dressed appropriately for the occasion. One gentlemen's etiquette book wrote:

There are special suits for all kinds of outdoor amusements, such as shooting, golfing, tennis, boating, driving, riding, bicycling, fishing, hunting, &c., but into the details of these it is unnecessary to enter. It may be remarked, however, that it is easy to stultify the whole effect of these, however perfectly they may be 'built' by the tailor, by the addition of a single incongruous article of attire; such as a silk hat or patent boots with a shooting-suit. (Mrs Humphry, Manners for Men, London 1897)

Underpants, designer unknown

Underpants
Designer unknown
1880-1900
Great Britain
Machine-knitted silk, with pearl buttons and silk loops for braces, machine-sewn
Museum no. T.169-1960
Given by B.W. Owram

Vests and pants were worn next to the skin, under the shirt or trousers. Throughout the 19th century drawers had been worn, made of similar materials to the vest, including stockinette, cotton and wool; but by the end of the 19th century the distinction between drawers and underpants was recognised. Pants were either ankle-length to the mid-calf, drawers were either just below or just above the knee.

Some underpants were knee-length, to go under clothes for sporting wear: short pants of absorbent stockinette, for example, were worn for cycling. The loop of tape outside the waistband through which tongues of the braces were passed became general towards the end of the period. Many men preferred to have the vest and pants combined in one. These were known as combinations and became very popular in the 20th century.

Underpants were made in linen, cotton and merino, but machine-knitted silk was fashionable with the wealthy and also for summer wear. Underpants of natural coloured wool or cellular cotton were also popular as these fabrics allowed the skin to breathe. Such materials were seen by dress reformers as the healthy alternative to silk, which they claimed trapped harmful chemicals close to the skin. By the late 19th century vests were available in a range of colours, including peach, flesh tint, lavender, light blue and heliotrope.

A typical gentleman probably owned several sets of vests and underpants. They were often initialled with the name of the owner so they could be recognised during the laundry process. By 1906 the vast majority of men dispensed with underwear altogether in the summer months.

Evening dress, Jays Ltd.

Evening dress
Jays Ltd. (designers)
About 1908
London
Satin, with silk panels embroidered with silver-gilt strip, coil, thread, spangles, pearls and diamantes, and trimmed with velvet, with boned bodice; net is modern replacement
Museum no. T.193&A-1970
Given by Lord and Lady Cowdray

The dress is dominated by the boldly embroidered panels imported from Turkey and made up in London. In style this dress is transitional between the pronounced curved shapes of the early 1900s and the straighter lines (with high waists) that had become current by about 1909. There is some evidence that an earlier dress may have been adapted to suit the tastes of 1908. The inside of the bodice has a grosgrain waist stay (grosgrain is a heavily ribbed silk) with the woven label of Jays Ltd, which bears a taffeta ribbon marked 'Lady Pearson', the name of the wearer.

Top hat, James Lock & Co

Top hat
James Lock & Co.
1910s
London
Black silk plush, with a woollen band and satin lining
Museum no. T.216&A-1960
Bequeathed by Lady Beerbohm

In the early 19th century the top hat was the predominant type of headwear in a gentleman's wardrobe. It reached its peak of popularity during the 1840s and 1850s, when mass manufacturing and industrialisation brought fashionable dress within the reach of a much wider section of the population. During the second half of the century new informal styles, such as the straw boater and soft felt hat, as well as the more formal bowler hat, challenged the predominance of the top hat.

By the 1880s the top hat was relegated to more formal occasions when a gentleman would wear a frock or tail coat. Manners for Men, by Mrs Humphry ('Madge of Truth'), reported:

'Frequently a silk hat is never seen between Sunday and Sunday. Churchgoers still, to a certain extent, affect it, but in these days of outdoor life, bicycling, and so on, the costume worn by men in church is experiencing the same modifications that characterise it in other department.'

The shape of the top hat appeared at the end of the 18th century. It changed in shape over time and a range of different styles appeared as the century progressed. The gibus or collapsible top hat came into fashion in the 1840s and was often worn with evening dress. It was made of corded silk or cloth over a metal framework which sprung open with a flick of the wrist. It could easily be carried under the arm, making it more convenient for an evening at the opera or theatre than the rigid top hats. Some top hats had ventilation holes in the crown.

In the late 18th century and first half of the 19th century top hats were known as 'beavers'. This is because they were made of felted beaver fur wool. In 1862 Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor reported that 'the bodies of beaver hats are made of a firm felt wrought up of fine wool, rabbit's hair etc. ... over this is placed the nap prepared from the hair of the beaver.' The processes used to create the beaver hats involved the use of mercury. Contact with mercury often had detrimental effects on the hatters and led to the phrase 'mad as a hatter'. By the late 19th century most top hats were made of silk.

Evening dress, Maison Laferriere

Evening dress
Maison Laferriere
About 1900, Paris
Figured satin, decorated with imitation pearls, diamantes and spangles; net is modern replacement
Museum no. T.282&A-1974
Given by Lady Lloyd

This elegant evening dress was designed by the famous Paris fashion house Maison Laferrière, located at 28 rue Taitbout in Paris. Maison Laferrière was frequented by aristocrats and others of great wealth, who admired its exquisite designs and fine workmanship.

This dress was worn by Princess Alexandra of Denmark (the future Queen Alexandra), who was considered to dress with exemplary taste. It is an example of the highest standards of design and dressmaking, utilising the most luxurious materials. Though most women would not have been able to afford a dress from a couture house, many would emulate the Princess' style. 

This dress is typical of very early 1900s eveningwear. The torso is moulded by a rigid whalebone corset into an hourglass shape with a straight, flat abdomen. The dress exposes the décolletage, shoulders and arms, and the long skirt is fitted around the hips and fluted towards the hem.

Norfolk jacket, designer unknown

Norfolk jacket
Designer unknown
About 1900
Great Britain
Checked tweed, with sateen and striped cotton lining and buttons of horn, hand- and machine-sewn
Museum no. T.356-1984
Given by Martin Kamer

The Norfolk jacket was a versatile garment which became an important item in a gentleman's wardrobe. It was originally worn by the Rifle Corps in the Volunteer Movement of 1859-1860 and was adapted for shooting costume during the 1860s. It was initially known as the 'Norfolk shirt' and was at first strictly reserved for country wear.

With the growth in leisure activities and sporting pursuits during the 1870s and 1880s the Norfolk jacket became acceptable for any form of outdoor exercise, 'being especially suited for bicycling, business, fishing, pleasuring, and the moorland' (Tailor and Cutter, April 1888). Golfing attire was particularly colourful, as this extract from Golf by Horace Hutchinson suggests: In the matter of Norfolk jackets and knickerbockers, spats and particularly coloured stockings, checks and stripes, the golfer is a bird of bright and varied plumage.'

This example was probably worn for general country wear. Inside one of the pockets are a piece of paper giving the monthly rainfall for the year 1900, a stamp, metal pin and a piece of string. By the 1890s conventions had become so relaxed that smart young men were seen wearing Norfolk jackets even in the city.

The Norfolk jacket was often made of Harris tweed and homespuns. It was frequently teamed up with matching knickerbockers and a soft cap such as a deerstalker. Its distinctive features were a box pleat at the centre back and another passing down each forepart. It also had a belt made of the same material. Women wore close-fitting versions of the jacket for sports, country wear and even fashionable dress. The jacket also appears in illustrations for the dress of young boys from 1859 onwards

Vest, designer unknown

Vest
Designer unknown
1880-1900
Great Britain
Machine-knitted silk, with silk placket and pearl buttons, hand- and machine-sewn
Museum no. T.168-1960
Given by B.W. Owram

Vests became fashionable during the 1840s and were often described as 'undershirts'. Men had previously worn under-waistcoats for extra warmth. Vests and pants were worn next to the skin under the shirt or trousers.

By 1894 a range of styles was available, including ventilated waistcoats of lambswool with perforations under the arms, silk undershirts and vests made of lambswool. Many men preferred to have the vest and pants combined in one. These were known as combinations and became very popular in the 20th century.

Vests were made in linen, cotton and merino, but machine-knitted silk was fashionable with the wealthy and also for summer wear. Undervests of natural coloured wool or cellular cotton were also popular, as these fabrics allowed the skin to breathe. Such materials were seen by dress reformers as the healthy alternative to silk, which they claimed trapped harmful chemicals close to the skin. By the late 19th century vests were available in a range of colours, including peach, flesh tint, lavender, light blue and heliotrope.

A typical gentleman probably owned several sets of vests and underpants. They were often initialled with the name of the owner so they could be recognised during the laundry process. By 1906 the vast majority of men dispensed with underwear altogether in the summer months.

Ball gown, C.F. Worth

Ball gown
Charles Frederick Worth (1825-95)
About 1900, Paris
Silk velvet, trimmed with diamante; petticoat, sleeves and neck edgings are modern replacements in
the style of Worth
Museum no. T.459 to B-1974
Given by the Duke and Duchess of Kent

This dress is typical of very early 1900s eveningwear. The torso is moulded by a rigid whalebone corset into an hourglass shape with a straight, flat abdomen. The dress exposes the décolletage and shoulders, and the long skirt is fitted around the hips and fluted towards the hem. There is a train, but no bustle.

It was made by Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), a celebrated Parisian couture dressmaker. He was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, and started working at the age of 12 in a draper's shop in London. Eight years later he moved to Paris, where he opened his own fashion house in 1858. He was soon patronised by the Empress Eugenie and her influence was instrumental to his success. His clothes, admired for their elegance and fine workmanship, became an important symbol of social and financial advancement.

Summer day dress, designer unknown

Summer day dress
Designer unknown
1905
Great Britain
Printed striped cotton, with a yoke neck of tucked Broderie Anglaise frills and pin-tucked collar with a tape lace frill
Museum no. T.21 to B-1960
Worn by Miss Heather Firbank

Crisp-looking blue and white dresses such as this were popular for boating and seaside wear. It is decorated with lace, frills and pin-tucks, to give a soft and feminine appearance. The bodice is ruched and draped to create a low, puffed chest shape that was very fashionable in the 1900s, especially around 1905.

This dress was worn by Miss Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. Miss Firbank was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name', according to M. Benkovitz in 'Ronald Firbank: A Biography' (1970).

Travelling gown, designer unknown

Travelling gown
Designer unknown
1905, Great Britain
Woollen face cloth, trimmed with braid and velvet, and inserted with panels of net and machine-made lace
Museum no. T.421 to H-1977
Given by Lady Alice Egerton

Pastel colours combined with cream were greatly favoured by fashionable Edwardians. This costume shows how designers of the period lavishly adorned plain cloth with a variety of rich trimmings. It has an alternative matching jacket, a pair of white kid shoes trimmed with ribbon, and white silk stockings, which are not shown in the image.

The ensemble was worn by Viscountess Brackley, née Miss Violet Lambton, who became the Countess of Ellesmere (1880-1976). She married Viscount Ellesmere in the autumn of 1905 in St Margaret's Church, Westminster, London. This society wedding was recorded in The Queen, The Lady's Newspaper on 4 November 1905: 'the bride travelled in a blue cloth costume trimmed with Irish lace and braid and a hat to match'. This report was accompanied by a sketch showing the wedding-gown, travelling costume and bridesmaids' dresses.

Smoking suit, designer unknown

Smoking suit
Designer unknown
About 1906
Great Britain
Silk, lined with wool, hand and machine sewn
Museum no. T.720-1974
Given by the Earl and Countess of Avon

The smoking jacket was a short, easy- fitting coat, cut in the style of a lounge jacket. It was a distinctive garment since it was often quilted and decorated with silk cord or braid frogging. It could be single- or double-breasted. Soft materials were used such as silk, velvet or wool in dark reds, greens, blues, brown or black.

This smoking jacket and matching trousers appear to have been made out of handkerchief silk as the pattern is not continuous. The fabric was probably made in India for the European market.

The popularity of the smoking suit shows how sartorial rules were relaxing in the late 19th century. The smoking jacket was often worn in place of the dinner jacket for an informal evening at home. It was worn with day trousers, evening trousers and sometimes (as in this example) with matching easy-cut trousers. The trousers on this suit are adjusted with a buckle at the back, but trousers could also be secured by a girdle at the waist like pyjama trousers.

The smoking jacket was still popular in the early 20th century. In 1956 the Austin Reed catalogue announced an updated version of the smoking jacket, named the television jacket. This did not become a widespread fashion as by this date few men felt the need to wear a special garment for watching television or smoking.