Kent State University Museum: Centuries of Childhood

Exhibition

Centuries of Childhood
Alumni Gallery, September 27, 2000 to September 31, 2001
Anne Bissonnette, Curator

Photograph of Hattie Louise and Nellie Schaeffer, c.1876-79
Courtesy of Paula Mealy

As seen in the image printed behind the gowns, Hattie Louise and Nellie Schaeffer were at the height of fashion in their narrow princess-line dresses complete with bustled back skirts. The simplicity and ease adopted at the beginning of the century had completely vanished, and children were again dressed in copies of adult fashions, complete with the elaborate underpinnings. As Classicism gave way to Romanticism, the growing need to display social status expressed itself in women's and children's clothing. Although heavily trimmed and decorated, children's clothes were nonetheless usually simpler than those of adults, and girls' and young boys' dresses shorter than their mother's, in an age-defined system.

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WORN IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Girl's brown wool dress with yellow embroidery
United State of America, c.1876-79
Brown chiné wool flannel dress with varigated yellow floral embroidered self-fabric bands. Dark mother-of-pearl buttons at closure and bustle-styled back. Made by Fanny Knepfly Schaeffer for her daughter Nellie Schaeffer (Jones).
Kent State University Museum, Offered gift of Paula Mealy, KSUM T00.50.7

Girl's brown wool dress with magenta embroidery
United State of America, c.1876-79
Brown chiné wool flannel dress with magenta floral embroidered self-fabric bands. Dark mother-of-pearl buttons at closure and bustle-styled back. Made by Fanny Knepfly Schaeffer for her daughter Hattie Louise Schaeffer.
Kent State University Museum, Offered gift of Paula Mealy, KSUM T00.50.8