Help dating dresses - Part 1

[Ernie Jones]

I am trying to figure out a date for these photo's - I'll have a couple more in their own threads. They are all of my grandfather's aunts but I'd like to be able to know who is who since there are no names or dates on the photo's. There are some hints in the photo's themself but knowing an approximate time frame for the fashions the young ladies are wearing will be a great help. All the photo's were taken in Ontario Canada.

These girls did like their hats. My theory is that since their dad was a barber they didn't want him messing with their hair, or that maybe he did.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Early 1880s. How nice that you have the photos.

 

[pastperfect2]

I agree - 1878- 1883ish.

 

[Ernie Jones]

Here is the same girl but taken a few years (I'd say less the 5) earlier. Sure looks like the same hat and I wonder if there is enough detail in the photo to get an idea of the fashion worn for it. ???

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

It appears to be the same photo, to me. The first one has been retouched on the veil and hat.

 

[Ernie Jones]

Barbara, I thought you may have been onto something there but the photo's have the mark of the photographer on the bottom. Two different towns that are about a 3 hour drive apart today- about 120 miles thru the country.

 

[Ernie Jones]

Is it possible that the first photo (the square one) dates to 1883 and the oval photo a couple of years before that? The family moved sometime around 1881/82. The brother of the girl in the photo married in 1883 so I wounder if this photo was taken about that time.

 

[Jonathan]

It is the same photo, the photographer was also the developer and printer, so that is why there are two stamps. You see this also with art sometimes, the stamp of the original gallery, as well as a stamp for a later framer on the back of the same piece. They probably took the negative to the second photographer and wanted just a head shot for framing, as the dress would be out of fashion. I would have though more like 1876/77 on the dress because of the deep inverted pleats on the skirt. This fashion plate from 1877 has the similar princess line bodice and inverted pleating on the skirt: