Mary Beth Klatt - Chicagos Fashion History: 1865-1945

In 1865, women in white dresses accompany President Lincolns hearse as it passes beneath an ornamental arch at Twelfth Street. These ladies are wear the dresses with corsets and crinolines, typical undergarments for the mid- to late 19th century. Wearing white for mourning was unusual, as black was considered more appropriate. Widows would mourn for two and a half years; black was a big part of their daily wardrobe during that period. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-19202.)

The bride looks stunning as she approaches the altar for her wedding, which took place between 1874 and 1889 and was documented by Chicago photography studio Melander. Both she and her matron of honor are wearing gowns with bustles, which were popular through the 1890s. The brides resplendent outfit could have been imported in the postChicago Fire era, but she could have also hired a local modiste to do the handiwork. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-63297.)

A young woman poses with a rose underneath her chin for this highly-stylized portrait printed in Chicago in 1901. Her hairstyle and dcolletage are especially notable as her locks swirl into an upswept coiffure with her striking grey locks untouched. She is also wearing an extravagant off-the-shoulder tulle ball gown; in addition to tulle, chiffon, satin, and cotton were top fabric choices in the early 20th century. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-80554.)

A woman wearing a long red suit dress with a black-and-white collar admires dogs in this 1902 Chicago Kennel Clubs Dog Show poster made by George Ford Morris. The illustration of the bustle, an exaggerated fullness at the back of a womans skirt, was particularly fascinating with its elaborate framework. The bustle was worn underneath a dress below the waist to keep the skirt from dragging. Heavy fabrics, such as brocade and velvet, were prone to pull down and flatten a skirt in the back; a bustle countered this tendency. By the early 20th century, the bustle was on its way out, because it was not compatible with the newly popular long corset. Bustles appeared again on some 1940s clothes; Christian Lacroix designed a knee-length dress with a pouf in the 1980s for Jean Patou. Now the word bustle is largely associated with moving energetically. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZC4-12528.)

Judith C. Waller of WMAQ Radio in Chicago wears her best dress, hat, and gloves to the White House in 1924, just two years after she put the radio station on the air in 1922 as WGU. Known as the First Lady of Radio, she revolutionized the industry from the beginning. In the early days, she filled in as an announcer and played music for listeners when talent was not available. She started baseball broadcasts after a friend complained that school kept him away from his favorite sport; the Chicago Cubs were the first team to have their games on the air. Waller also established the University of Chicago roundtable, the American Medical Association program, and many other public service broadcasts. She later published a book titled Radio: the Fifth Estate , a text about industry operations. Waller was also later awarded an honorary degree by MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Florida. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-DIG-npcc-26005. )

This unidentified Logan Square resident looks focused on her golf game. Women in the late 1920s wore dresses or breeches on the golf course. Merchandisers and pattern companies started making womens clothes strictly for the links. Knitters had an array of instructions on how to make golf sweaters and vests for men and women. However, there was not widespread interest in womens golf until after World War II. (Courtesy of Tom OKeefe.)

Sarah Damask, at her 1929 wedding to Harry Wagner, wears a beaded buckram coronet with a silk tulle veil that is longer than her tiered knee-length dress. She is holding a large and elaborate bouquet with bits of fern hanging delicately. Popular flowers during this period included orchids, calla lilies, and gardenias. Wedding dresses were often passed down in families and altered for the next generations bride. (Courtesy of the Rogers Park Historical Society.)

Janet Ross (fourth from right) is seen here in 1933 attending a tea party, a popular celebration during the Depression, held by her friend Ethel Pingels. The tea party was a way for a hostess to entertain at home without the customary maid helping out. The hostess would serve inexpensive foods such as dainty little sandwiches and tea. Womens clubs, whether they were dedicated to gardening, bridge, or hand sewing, experienced a revival during this perioda contrast to the individualism of the flapper era. Regardless of the purpose, all the women in these clubs would typically wear feminine dresses, and sometimes a hat and gloves, to these special occasions. Bobbed hair continued to be the style, although a little longer than what was common in the 1920s, perhaps because Americans wanted to conserve on their trips to the barber. The more ladylike haircut also could have been a reaction to the more severe masculine hairstyles of the 1920s. (Courtesy of Kay Kuciak.)