Need an approx date!

[Aye Right]

Hi

I received this photo of an ancestor from a much older cousin after she died, but unfortunately no one left in the family knows who it is for sure. 

We are going through a process of elimination and I am hoping that Rootschatters might be able to help date the photo from the clothes the lady is wearing.  Can you give me any pointers?

Thank you

Ax

[Seoras]

Hi Ax,seen a similar dress on a lady dated 1890s,but I'm no expert on clothing.Do you have the original,if so is there any other info on it such as the photographer.

[chinakay]

A bit later than the 1890s, around 1905 I'd say, but it's such a horrible scan that I can't make out details such as the waistline etc. Any chance of a decent scan at 300 dpi?

I'm wondering if the lady might be a new widow. We have a lot of people posting a black&white photo on here and asking if the lady is in mourning. Well, as it's not a colour photo, we'll never know...could be any dark colour. So I don't want to make the same mistake. But.....the details of the hat seem to be unrelieved with any lighter shades....it seems to be all very dark as well as the dress. And is that a hankie? A lady's mourning stuff, in the first year, was completely black except for the hankie, because the dyes weren't colourfast.

So anyway, that's my 2 cents' worth for you

Cheers,
China

[dobfarm]

Maybe an end date for parameters! but could be wrong! (If she was dressed for a personal reasons in dark) Queen Victoria died 1901 and all the ladies of society wore black or dark till then!

[chinakay]

No they didn't, unless you are talking about ladies in mourning...your meaning isn't too clear. Ladies wore all sort of bright colours and pastels, especially once aniline dyes were invented. Hats included. Exhibits in clothing museums and contemporary illustrations bear this out. But mourning clothing was often produced by dyeing one's existing wardrobe in a vat in the garden, using vegetable dye.

Cheers,
China

[dobfarm]

Hi

Not exactly my subject but society women followed Queen Victoria mourning of Prince Albert, also I saw only resent a Antiques road show about the wearing of Jade or Jet from Whitby as Jewelry being Victoria's mourning then after 1901 went out of fashion.

http://www.morbidoutlook.com/fashion/historical/2001_03_victorianmourn.html

[chinakay]

Yes, but not for everyday wear.

[dobfarm]

Yes, but not for everyday wear.

Yes but every day wear was not worn for photo's in studio's I would think.

[dobfarm]

summat to ponder on anyway as by 1902 things really opened up to colour in fashion a big floral hats.

As said not my best subject but thought a mention to keep in mind.