dating this outfit?

[Hattysattic]

hello all! hope it's ok to ask for help with this but i have a picture and i think it is my great grandma, or possibly step grandma, but it would REALLY help if i could try and pin down a decade...so i thought maybe some clothing detective work would be useful. i am guessing 1880s but could be completely wrong. is the bustle too small for that?
sorry it's not too clear but hopefully you can make out the outfit well enough.



thank you!

 

[crinolinegirl]

Lovely photo! She is wearing a transistional bustle dress between the full bustles of the 1870's and the VERY full bustles of the 1880's. It's one of the narrower bustle skirted gowns which only lasted a short time between c. 1879- 1883.

Lei

 

[Patentleathershoes]

What a great photo!

I loved looking at Lei's relatives and now we get to see Harriet's.
Will the exact date tell you which she is (great grandma or step grandma?)

I need to scan mine!

 

[vintageclothes-line]

What fun. Lei, I am going to post mine for you to tell me.

 

[Hattysattic]

thank you so much lei! (and i wasn't too horrifically out, thanks to the vfg timeline!)
just need to tell mum the date and then we'll know who it is!

 

[Patentleathershoes]

Let us know who it is when you find out

 

[Hattysattic]

well apparently that would make it my (maternal) great great grandmother! i was just a generation out...

loads more i must get round to scanning - was planning a family history wall, but need to know who everyone is before i allow them to feature, lol!

 

[bartondoll]

How sweet she is!

Harriet, please scan more and post. It is so neat to see everyone's
ancestors and what they wore (also a learning experience).

Sue