19th century fashion — Daring gloves and practical wallets

The “practical” woman used a wallet instead of a more fashionable purse in 1887, but multiple parasols were needed to be in style.

“Handsome purses, crocheted in silk, with or without beads, are coming into favor, but the portemonnaie (wallet) holds its place among sensible, practical women,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on May 20.

“Big buttons are a feature on summer frocks. … All sleeves are loose above the elbow this season. The parasol must correspond with the dress this summer,” The Morning Star reported on May 30, 1887.

At Glens Falls, the milliner Mrs. Charles H. Clark specialized in mourning hats, but designed fashionable hats for all occasions.

“The prettiest lady in our village will find her charms enhanced by calling on Mrs. Charles H. Clark, in the Cowles block, corner of Warren and Ridge streets, and buying one of her fashionable hats or bonnets, artistically trimmed in the latest of styles,” The Morning Star reported on April 20, 1888.

Perhaps this fashion trend was intended to facilitate layering.

“The Rochester Democrat says that small men in the overcoat of the period have to get out search warrants to find themselves,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on Feb. 20, 1875.

The same issue offered this fashion advise: “A walking or house dress, says a fashion journal, may be made to advantage with one part of plain goods and the other of Scotch plaid. In quality, the fabrics should be similar.”

At a “swell party” at Plattsburgh, an elderly woman remarked about changing fashion, The Morning Star reported on Dec. 14, 1888.

“When I was a girl, we used to wear dresses up to our neck and gloves with only one button. Now they wear gloves up to the neck and dresses with only one button.”

Long gloves — daring in style — remained in fashion the next year.

“Evening gloves are as long as ever, and again reach to the lower edge of the short sleeves,” The Morning Star reported on Jan. 18, 1889. “They are in mousquetaire (daring and flamboyant) shape, and must be quite plain on the back, being very simply corded there.”

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