SUITABLE FOR WORK
The definition of work clothes has slipped an awful lot in recent months (thanks, lockdown!) but until very recently, most of us would have agreed that a woman in a suit, whether skirt or pants, might be going to the office, the courtroom, or maybe the broadcast studio. We would definitely not have assumed the same for a woman in a frilly dress, if anyone really even wears them these days.
That pattern of dress was starting to take hold in the late 1800s It began with the shirtwaist, those reasonably priced, ready-to-wear blouses that quickly became a favorite of the young lady typists who were beginning to move into offices. The shirtwaist, whether plain or trimmed up with various embellishments, was worn with a simple and serviceable skirt…and our working girl had her uniform for the day.
A professional woman, like newspaper reporter Hetty MacNaughten, Ella Shane’s good friend, would definitely like the shirtwaist, too. But she would wear it with a suit. It’s part practicality; the sort of plain gray serge suit Hetty favors enables her to move freely and comfortably, just like a man can, without worrying about her clothes any more than a man does. The simple and sober outfit, though, is also a proclamation that she is a serious woman doing important work.
In 1899, it’s still a very big deal for women to be in traditionally male professions, like journalism, and Hetty’s well aware of the statement she’s making with that suit. She doesn’t want people to look at her and see a woman. She wants them to see a journalist.
Toward the end of A FATAL FINALE, Hetty comes over to Ella’s house for tea with an interview subject (a male – any more is a potential spoiler!) and she’s wearing the usual suit, with a nicer-than-usual shirtwaist in honor of the event. Hetty is every inch the professional and not much the woman.
Ella, on the other hand, being the hostess, is in a dress. A pretty afternoon frock, as it happens. It may be the fact that she sings male roles, or spends so much time in fencing practice, but Ella has a wide and deep girly streak, and whenever possible, she will choose a frilly dress. Usually in her favorite shades of lavender and lilac, as it is on this occasion.
That pretty dress is every bit as much an announcement for Ella as Hetty’s suit is for her. Ella is proclaiming that she is the lady at home, and has no need to wear anything resembling work clothes. The dress is Ella’s way of saying that for her, the afternoon is more of a social engagement.
More than that, though, it’s also a way of putting her guests, both Hetty and the gentleman, at ease. A lady in a pretty dress pouring tea is exactly who and what one might expect in a comfortable parlor in Washington Square, perhaps taking a bit of the edge off what may turn out to be a rather uncomfortable interview.
And so, just like our modern example, a lady in a suit may well be working, and a lady in a pretty dress likely is not. Which leads to a very simple observation: clothes do not necessarily make the woman, but a wise reader always pays attention to what the female characters are wearing – and why!
Have an idea for a Throwback Thursday post? Drop it in the comments!
That pattern of dress was starting to take hold in the late 1800s It began with the shirtwaist, those reasonably priced, ready-to-wear blouses that quickly became a favorite of the young lady typists who were beginning to move into offices. The shirtwaist, whether plain or trimmed up with various embellishments, was worn with a simple and serviceable skirt…and our working girl had her uniform for the day.
A professional woman, like newspaper reporter Hetty MacNaughten, Ella Shane’s good friend, would definitely like the shirtwaist, too. But she would wear it with a suit. It’s part practicality; the sort of plain gray serge suit Hetty favors enables her to move freely and comfortably, just like a man can, without worrying about her clothes any more than a man does. The simple and sober outfit, though, is also a proclamation that she is a serious woman doing important work.
In 1899, it’s still a very big deal for women to be in traditionally male professions, like journalism, and Hetty’s well aware of the statement she’s making with that suit. She doesn’t want people to look at her and see a woman. She wants them to see a journalist.
Toward the end of A FATAL FINALE, Hetty comes over to Ella’s house for tea with an interview subject (a male – any more is a potential spoiler!) and she’s wearing the usual suit, with a nicer-than-usual shirtwaist in honor of the event. Hetty is every inch the professional and not much the woman.
Ella, on the other hand, being the hostess, is in a dress. A pretty afternoon frock, as it happens. It may be the fact that she sings male roles, or spends so much time in fencing practice, but Ella has a wide and deep girly streak, and whenever possible, she will choose a frilly dress. Usually in her favorite shades of lavender and lilac, as it is on this occasion.
That pretty dress is every bit as much an announcement for Ella as Hetty’s suit is for her. Ella is proclaiming that she is the lady at home, and has no need to wear anything resembling work clothes. The dress is Ella’s way of saying that for her, the afternoon is more of a social engagement.
More than that, though, it’s also a way of putting her guests, both Hetty and the gentleman, at ease. A lady in a pretty dress pouring tea is exactly who and what one might expect in a comfortable parlor in Washington Square, perhaps taking a bit of the edge off what may turn out to be a rather uncomfortable interview.
And so, just like our modern example, a lady in a suit may well be working, and a lady in a pretty dress likely is not. Which leads to a very simple observation: clothes do not necessarily make the woman, but a wise reader always pays attention to what the female characters are wearing – and why!
Have an idea for a Throwback Thursday post? Drop it in the comments!
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