Children’s Easter Hats a Hundred Years Ago

Ladies Home Journal (March, 1913) — *Ladies Home Journal* (March, 1913)

This blog addresses mostly food-related topics, but the subtitle of A Hundred Years Ago says Food and More, so today I’m focusing on the More.

I found some awesome pictures of children’s Easter hats from a hundred years ago that I just needed to share. Amazingly, readers of Ladies Home Journal were encouraged to order patterns from the magazine so they could replicate these hats. Enjoy!

A pretty feature of the hat is the plaited lace joined with tiny flowers at the brim edge.

Fine Tuscan straw was used for the pretty poke bonnet trimmed with flowers and bows of velvet ribbon.

This cap shades the eyes, fits snugly and only needs one good tug to put it on in the most secure manner. Then it has the additional attraction of being soft and small enough to slip into a boy’s pocket when necessary, all of which endears this peaked cap to the little man of the family. Lightweight cloth is the best material to use, with or without a thin sateen or silesia lining.

Ladies Home Journal (March, 1913)

Hundred-Year-Old Fashion Color Chart

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Sunday, November 22, 1914: <<no entry>>

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

What was Grandma doing a hundred years ago today? I wonder if Grandma ever worried about fashion —and which colors were her best colors.

When I was young,Color Me Beautiful was very popular—and I worried about whether I was a Fall or a Summer.

A few days ago I was surprised to discover that the color concept has been around for a long time, and that there were color charts a hundred years ago.

According to an article in the November, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal:

Choosing the most becoming colors is often a difficult task, and while no hard and fast rules can be given for such a selection there are some suggestions which will help to find the right ones. Each woman can find her type, and then take the suggested colors and try them for herself. Do not forget that your personal preference in this matter cannot be taken into consideration for more often than not your favorite color is not a becoming one.

Each season brings a new and fashionable color, and please let me warn you that it will detract from your appearance if you select it for this reason. Make sure that it is becoming first, keeping in mind that good taste, not money, makes the well-dressed woman.

Stylish Furs a Hundred Years Ago

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Saturday, November 14, 1914: <<no entry>>

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

What was Grandma doing on this Saturday a hundred years ago today? Maybe she went out with friends and wore her new blue and black boucle coat.

Did Grandma ever wish that she had some furs? They were really popular in 1914.

It is interesting to see the new furs, soft scarfs, muffs, and coats of unbelievable lightness, with hats that harmonize and strike the right note.

Ladies Home Journal (October, 1914)

Went Shopping and Got a Boucle Coat (and More)

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, November 12, 1914: Mother and I went shopping. She’s doing more than I did of course. I got a coat, which is a blue and black boucle, a dress, gloves, and other things of lesser importance. I had a suit case full of stuff and then some more. Ma had her share, too. Fortunately we got a ride part way home.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

I found this purple and black boucle coat on ebay. The era’s wrong (this is a 1950’s coat), and the color isn’t quite blue; but it can give you an idea of what Grandma’s coat looked like. I bet she looked awesome.

—

Grandma–

What a fun day! Nothing cheers a woman up like clothes shopping—especially when her mother pays for the clothes.

Took Black Velvet Up to Town

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Monday, September 28, 1914: One week and some days later. Looks as if my pen had been on a vacation. To tell the truth I am getting tired on writing in this. Nothing nice and sentimental to jot down. Took my black velvet up town to have the trimmings re-arranged.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (October, 1913)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma—

We’re glad your pen is back from its vacation. But do tell, why does your black velvet (dress?) need the trimmings rearranged? Is there a special event coming up? . . . Is there a special guy?

Hundred-Year-Old Women’s Suits

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, September 17, 1914: After a lapse of nine days I decided that it is time to write in my diary.

Went to town this afternoon to oblige Ruthie dear. Her suit need pressing (souvenir of our trip) so I walked it in.

Source: *Ladies Home Journal* (June, 1912)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma– I’m confused. There been a sentence or two written most of the past nine days. Do you mean that you went back and wrote entries for all of those days at one time? . . .Your memory must be pretty good.

And, this thing about wearing suits on the trip to Niagara Falls. . . It’s nice that you took your sister Ruth’s suit into the town to get pressed (at the dry cleaners?); but it seems ridiculous that you wore suits while on vacation.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (September, 1912)

House Jackets (Sweater Vests) a Hundred Years Ago

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, September 10, 1914: Called on Carrie this afternoon.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (September, 1914)

This design is the ever-useful “hug-me-tight,” of waist length and with a pretty variation in collar and sleeves.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Carrie Stout was a good friend of Grandma’s who lived on the nearby farm. In my mind, I picture Carrie and Grandma sitting in a quiet corner of the living room, leaning forward towards each other while excitedly chatting about Grandma’s recent trip . . . guys . . . neighborhood gossip. . . whatever.

Were the days starting to get cooler? The house may have had a chill since the heating stove in the living room probably wasn’t yet operating. Maybe Grandma and Carrie wore “house jackets” (I think that I’d call these sweaters, sweater vests, or short-sleeved sweaters, but the September, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal called them house jackets.)

House jackets of soft fleecy worsted are as popular as ever and each year brings to us some dainty new designs. The one in pale blue is made in almost straight lines and designed to wear in the house or under a coat. The revers form a good chest protector if one is needed with an open coat.

An adorable kimono which every woman loves is unmistakable in the pink-and white-garment.