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Hello Everybody,  I'd like some help with this photo of two girls.  They are possibly part of my family who lived in the villages between Barnsley and Rotherham in South Yorkshire.  Most of the family were skilled to semi skilled working class, Coal Miners, Engine Tenders, Foundry Workers and the like.  The aircraft on the back of the postcard looks like a Bleriot XI (though the rear empannage  looks different to photographs of the real plane) which flew the English channel in 1909.
Are the dresses of that period?  Were the dresses likely to have been for special occasions?
Thanks in advance

Thank you everybody for your replies. 

She certainly had the income to keep up to date with fashion and her Husband had access to plenty of cloth, and the family firm had offices in London she could keep up to date with the latest fashions - but did she choose to? 

In the 1881 census the photographer was living at a different address (Sime Place) so the photograph was taken after that date.

One of her sons was missionary in was is now Pakistan  and he married in 1885 so the photograph may have been taken to send with the congratulations on the news of his wedding.
It is a lovely photograph but the original is a bit more spotted - I've cleaned it up and I've been lucky as my grandfather was always interested in family history and kept lots of photos!

Thanks again

Gavin

Sherry

Margaret Ann McPherson was my Great Great Grandmother and took an interest in her family history and gave my Grandfather many notes on the family - which I am slowly putting together.  Please do use the photo, though I have a number of others, some are very fine studio portraits.  I also have a recording made by one of mums friends who plays the bag pipes of a march written for her after WW1 by some of the troops she supported. 

Look forward to hearing from you

All the best

Gavin

Thanks everybody - and Jim those details are fascinating - With access to as much cloth as they fancied I suspect they kept up with fashion

Gavin