May I pick the collective brain?

[xdanistarlight]

(The title may or may not be relevant...I just like the way it sounds.)

Hello! I need some help. (More like a LOT. Haha.)
Whatever your field of expertise, be it sewing period costumes or knowing all there is to know about the 19th century, read on. I need info of all kinds. :)

Comments

[dianavilliers]

This is perhaps a little out of left field but here's a fancy dress costume of the period. The Dreamstress notes in the comments that The shorter skirts may also indicate that the costume was for a young woman - it does seem that teens were allowed/expected to wear costumes with calf length skirts.
It might be worth looking in to.

[duane_kc]

It may be a little late in the Victorian period for some people's taste, but I find the reproduction of the 1898 Sears catalog to be an incredible resource.

There's a used on on Amazon right now: http://www.amazon.com/1897-Sears-Roebuck-Catalogue-Israel/dp/0791046265

[emokoi]

ahem, i'm kind of a geek on this era and these things, here's a semi-detailled overview... feel free to message me if you want more detailed answers

[elzebrook]

Questions: What specific time period/decade would this be? Fashion of the 19th century varied a LOT between decades (or even year to year). Also, what is the class of your character? Much of the answers to your questions would depend very much on class

[tingirl]

Like Elzebrook said- the answer is going to depend SO much on when in the 19th and what class your child is. Also:rural or city makes a huge difference. A city woman had to keep much more of an eye on fashion; a country girl might basically wear shifts most of her day, putting on full dress only for company or trips into town [this from matriarchal family history.:)].

These differences mattered a LOT more throughout the 19th C; where now even a hick like me has access to immediately fashionable clothing and reasonably affordable couture, women off the main thouroughfares had very little chance to know the latest fashions, and even less chance to buy them. And while the difference in income percentages was...actually better than some modern societies, manufacturing had not yet driven costs of high-end goods down as much. And depending on the locale, a child might be homeschooled, or work in the mills from age four. Depends enormously.

TL/DR: More details, and there will be delighted fashion geeking all over.:D