As a mother who has had to make many historical costumes that are maternity and nursing friendly, I would like to ask if you have any proof that Mrs. Crane is pregnant. The dress could also be a "reform" style.
For those who need more info on maternity styles, there are only two books that really touch on this subject.
Maternity Fashion by Boretta Davanzo Poli. Published in 1988 and definatly has a "our modern fashions are so much better" slant which is rather funny since the clothing styles are dated.
Costumes for Births, Marriages, & Deaths by Phillis Cunnington & Catherine Lucas.
About 75% of the "maternity" dresses listen on ebay as Victorian are wrappers that would not have been seen in public, no matter that they are made out of silk and velvet.
Nope, until someone invents a time machine, no one can prove this lady was pregnant - that's the opinion of Kristina Harris, the author of the book from which I scanned the photo. You are welcome to disregard her opinion and consider this a Reform Dress.
What a beautiful family. I like the loving way that the parents are holding the kids. I think she is pregnant. the shape of her middle, fuller at the bottom, seems to look that way to me.
Modest maternity design features (it occurs to me) might also prove helpful for twenty-first-century folks with the sort of physiques that benefit from Empire waistlines.
Yes, for many women, the narrowest part is not the waist but right below the breasts. I've always been thick-waisted and narrow-hipped and so that's been true for me since I hit puberty, even when I was a very scrawny teenager. Fortunately, Empire waists were fashionable in the first half of the 19th century, though by the time this photo was taken, they were no longer in style. If this lady's dress didn't have tight-wristed balloon sleeves, rosette trim, lace epaulets, and the corded belt, it could pass for Artistic or Reform Dress, but the trimming and the belt aren't typical of that style, which rebelled against unecessary lace, trim, and tightness, and emphasized the beauty of the fabric itself and its flowing lines. Unfortunately we cannot know for sure since photographs do not talk!
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The dress could also be a "reform" style.
For those who need more info on maternity styles, there are only two books that really touch on this subject.
Maternity Fashion by Boretta Davanzo Poli.
Published in 1988 and definatly has a "our modern fashions are so much better" slant which is rather funny since the clothing styles are dated.
Costumes for Births, Marriages, & Deaths by Phillis Cunnington & Catherine Lucas.
About 75% of the "maternity" dresses listen on ebay as Victorian are wrappers that would not have been seen in public, no matter that they are made out of silk and velvet.
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I love Clare, in his little skirt and boots.
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