Following a recent meeting on our programme looking at childrens clothing through the ages a group of us decided to follow it up with a visit to Lotherton Hall near Leeds where there is currently an exhibition on this topic.
Having discussed everything from changes in children’s footwear, the concept of traditional colours for boys and girls, how the essentials for new babies has changed in 100 years, to 1950s knitting patterns and how advertising has influenced children’s fashion, it was very interesting to see the wide variety of artifacts displayed.
The exhibition showed how in the late 1700s/ early 1800s children’s clothing mimicked adult styles with subtle changes made to garments to allow for growing bodies and more active lives. Many outfits were often worn for special occasions, not the everyday.
The Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s changed all that. By then and into the early 1900s a favourite boys trend was the sailor suit, while girls were dressed in a loose fitting smock with a pinafore on top. These were easy to mass produce in factories and before long everyone was buying made-to-wear clothing for their children.
Today of course there is a huge range of fashions available for children.
Words and pictures kindly produced by our member Sue Butler.