American Journal of Art and Design

| Peer-Reviewed |

Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s

Received: Jun. 08, 2020    Accepted: Jun. 30, 2020    Published: Jul. 13, 2020
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The paper provides an insight regarding the clothing for college girls from the Victorian days to the 1940s. It elaborates on game wears, clothing for tea and cocoa parties, evening dresses, and academic dresses while taking into consideration the degree being pursued. The primary sources for information are their autobiographies, memoirs, diaries, letters, and other records. Upon studying these records a few factors are evident. College girls attempted to cope with ‘double conformity’, that is, two standards, 'to study better than the men’ and ‘to be ladylike’. However, these often could not be achieved together. They managed to address this by first changing dark day dresses into beautiful evening dresses, and second, by wearing academic dresses with triangular soft caps which demonstrated both their professionalism and seriousness of purpose and their femininity. Furthermore, clothes played an important role in indicating their identity. While participating in sports, game wear had an important role in displaying solidarity and promoting a sense of belonging to their own team or college. When the ceremonies such as evening and tea parties were held, they wore special dresses for the parties to display a sense of participation in their community.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12
Published in American Journal of Art and Design ( Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2020 )
Page(s) 28-38
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

College Girls, Game Wear, Evening Dress, Academic Dress, Identity

References
[1] Deborah Gorham, The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.
[2] Carol Dyhouse, No Distinction of Sex? Women in British Universities 1870-1939 London: UCL Press, 1995.
[3] Briony Kay, “‘A New Kind of University Life’: the Creation of a Feminine University Culture at Royal Holloway College 1886-1914,” MA dissertation (RHUL 2005), unpublished.
[4] Sara Delamont, “The Contradictions in Ladies’ Education”, in Sara Delamont, and Duffin L., (eds.), The Nineteenth-Century Woman: Her Cultural and Physical World, London: Routledge, 1978, p. 140.
[5] Muriel C. Bradbrook, ‘That Infidel Place’: A Short History of Girton College 1869-1969, London: Chatto & Windus, 1969, p. 6.
[6] Jane Robinson, Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education, London: Penguin, 2010, pp. 133-138, 180.
[7] John Tosh, The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Direction in the Study of Modern History, Edinburgh: Pearson Educational Limited, 1984, rev., 2010, p. 98, 99.
[8] Lou Taylor, The Study of Dress History, Oxford: Alden Press, 2002, p. 243.
[9] Christopher Breward, The Hidden Consumer: Masculinities, Fashion and City Life, 1860-1914, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1999, p. 18.
[10] Paul R. Deslandes, Oxbridge Men: British Masculinity and the Undergraduate Experience, 1850-1920, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005, p. xi.
[11] Kathleen McCrone, Sport and the Physical Emancipation of English Women, 1870-1914, London: Routledge, 1988, p. 238.
[12] Unknown, Girton Diary references. List of references to Girton in the diary of Nova Knatchbull Hugesson, 22th November 1883, Girton College Reference (GCRF 4/2/1).
[13] Elizabeth Maclead (1881), A Day at Girton, Macleod Family Magazine, Girton College Reference (GCRF 4/1/24), p. 6, 8.
[14] Susan Macklin (1886), Extracts from the Diaries of Herbert Walter Macklin, Girton College Reference (GCRF 4/2/3).
[15] Robert Ross, Clothing: A Global History, Cambridge: Polity, 2008, pp. 103-105.
[16] Michelle Clewlow, Style and the Oxford Women, 24th September 1995 at the Annual Meeting of the Barbara Pym Society, St. Hilda’s College, p. 2.
[17] Lady Dressmaker, Dress: in Season and Reason, The Girl’s Own Paper, 24 Jan. 1885, p. 266.
[18] Busser (student, 1908 to 1911), My Memories of R.H.C., Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham A-B, RHC/RF/ 132/3, 1985.
[19] E. B. Moudy, Diary, Reminiscences Collected by Caroline Bingham B-D, RHC/ RF/132/6, 1985, p. 8.
[20] Winifred Evans (student, 1923 to 1925), Freda’s Story, GCRF 4/1/14, p. 7.
[21] D. M. Sabine Pasley (student, 1919 to 1923), Success without Money in the Twenties, GCRF 4/1/1, p. 5.
[22] Miss A. A. Divine (student, 1921 to 25, principal’s private secretary, 1942 to 1962), Gladys Morris (student, 1923 to 1926), RHC/RF/132/7, Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, E-H, p. 2.
[23] W. Butbridge, Memories of R.H.C. (1926-27), Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham A-B, RHC/ RF/132/3, 1985, p. 4.
[24] Valerie Steele, The Corset: A Cultural History, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001, p. 44, 56, 143-153, 165.
[25] Pearson Frances Beatrix Ruth (student, 1939-1942), Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, 2nd sequence, St. Hilda’s College Archive, pp. 221- 222.
[26] Mary Barham Johnson (student, 1914-1917), Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, 2nd sequence, St. Hilda’s College Archive, p. 1.
[27] Gradys Morris (student, 1923-1926) Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, I-M, RHC/ RF/132/6, 1985, p. 1, 8.
[28] Doreen Yarwood, The Encyclopedia of World Costume, New York: Bonanza Books, 1978, p. 300.
[29] Joyce Pentelow (student, 1938-1942), Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham N-U, RHC/RF/132/7, 1985, p. 3.
[30] Alice Robinson, Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, N-U, RHC/RF/132/7, 1985.
[31] Winifred Attlee (Muriel Attlee) (student, 1916-19) Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, St. Hilda’s College Archive, A4, p. 6.
[32] Joan Doren Curzon (student, 1917-1921), Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, 2nd sequence, St. Hilda’s College Archive, p. 1.
[33] P. M. Cooke, Patricia Garner, Social Life at RHC, 1931-5, Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, N-U, RHC/RF/132/7, 1985, p. 3.
[34] Audrey Brodhurst (1931), Letters Home 1931-35 (transcripts), Somerville College Archive, p. 23, 29.
[35] F. M. Winter, Letters to Bingham, Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, N-U, RHC/RF/132/8, 1985, p. 1, 4.
[36] Mrs. Burt (student, 1939-41), Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, A-B, RHC/RF/ 132/3, p. 1.
[37] Annice Szrajbman (A. M. Taylor, student, 1941-43), Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham N-U, 1985, RHC/RF/ 132/3, p. 2.
[38] Mary Bayliss (née Provost, student, 1943-47), My Wartime Clothes at St Hilda’s, Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, 2nd sequence, St. Hilda’s College Archive, p. 2.
[39] Irene Mary Davis (student, 1944-47), Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, St. Hilda’s College Archive, D1, p. 3.
[40] Mary Kennedy (student, 1950-54), Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, N-U, RHC/RF/132/7, p. 6.
[41] The Bedford Senior Student Record, 8th March 1920, BC/AS/121/2.
[42] Linna Bentley, Educating Women: A Pictorial History of Bedford College, University of London 1849-1985, Surry: Alma Publishers, 1991, p. 53.
[43] Papers Relating to the Presentation of Degrees (1923), Royal Holloway College Archive, RF/ PP 14/6, p. 4.
[44] Miss G, E. Harris (student, 1940-1943), Memories of a History Student, Reminiscences collected by Caroline Bingham, E-H, RHC/RF/132/5, p. 2.
[45] Caroline Bingham’s interview with Ruth Miller (student 1955), RHC/RF/131/11, p. 2.
[46] L. R. Farnell (Vice Chancellor), Dress of Women Members of the University, Oct. 1928, Lady Margaret Hall College Archive.
[47] Mrs. W. L. Courtney, Women’s University at Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall Jubilee Celebration, A Graceful Surrender, Daily Telegraph (21th June 1928), n.p.
[48] Letter to the Principal, 1928, Lady Margaret Hall Archive, p. 4, 5.
[49] E. F. Jourdain (Principal), Academic Dress, August, 1920, St. Hugh’s College Archive.
[50] Daughter’s of University, The Oxford Times (Friday, 8th October 1920), St. Hugh’s College Archive, scrap.
[51] Undergraduates, Daily Mail (26th October 1920).
[52] R. Turner Wilcox, The Dictionary of Costume, New York: Scribner, 1969, p. 340.
[53] Interest in Women’ Education, The Morning Post (Saturday, 12 March 1921), St. Hugh’s College Archive, scrap.
[54] Philippa Hesketh-Williams (student, 1933-1936), Reminiscences, 1930s, St. Hugh’s College Archive, p. 2.
[55] Caption in the photographs: Personal Penfold W (St. Hilda’s College Archive).
[56] Barbara Pym (1913-1980) https://barbara-pym.org/about-barbara-pym-and-her-writings/biography/ (accessed 12th May 2020).
[57] Hilary Joscleyne Eveleigh Christine (née Allen, 1941-1943), Reminiscences, Senior Member Survey, 1991, St. Hilda’s College Archive, C2, pp. 4-5.
[58] Evelyn Irons, Letter to the Principle, Recollections of Sommerville, 1908, Sommerville College Archive, p. 10.
[59] Rachel Footman (Mrs Varcoe, student, 1923-26), Recollections of Sommerville, 1923, Sommerville College Archive.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Miku Hirata. (2020). Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s. American Journal of Art and Design, 5(2), 28-38. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Miku Hirata. Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s. Am. J. Art Des. 2020, 5(2), 28-38. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Miku Hirata. Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s. Am J Art Des. 2020;5(2):28-38. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12,
      author = {Miku Hirata},
      title = {Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s},
      journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {28-38},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20200502.12},
      abstract = {The paper provides an insight regarding the clothing for college girls from the Victorian days to the 1940s. It elaborates on game wears, clothing for tea and cocoa parties, evening dresses, and academic dresses while taking into consideration the degree being pursued. The primary sources for information are their autobiographies, memoirs, diaries, letters, and other records. Upon studying these records a few factors are evident. College girls attempted to cope with ‘double conformity’, that is, two standards, 'to study better than the men’ and ‘to be ladylike’. However, these often could not be achieved together. They managed to address this by first changing dark day dresses into beautiful evening dresses, and second, by wearing academic dresses with triangular soft caps which demonstrated both their professionalism and seriousness of purpose and their femininity. Furthermore, clothes played an important role in indicating their identity. While participating in sports, game wear had an important role in displaying solidarity and promoting a sense of belonging to their own team or college. When the ceremonies such as evening and tea parties were held, they wore special dresses for the parties to display a sense of participation in their community.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Clothing for the College Girls from the Victorian Days to the 1940s
    AU  - Miku Hirata
    Y1  - 2020/07/13
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12
    T2  - American Journal of Art and Design
    JF  - American Journal of Art and Design
    JO  - American Journal of Art and Design
    SP  - 28
    EP  - 38
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2578-7802
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20200502.12
    AB  - The paper provides an insight regarding the clothing for college girls from the Victorian days to the 1940s. It elaborates on game wears, clothing for tea and cocoa parties, evening dresses, and academic dresses while taking into consideration the degree being pursued. The primary sources for information are their autobiographies, memoirs, diaries, letters, and other records. Upon studying these records a few factors are evident. College girls attempted to cope with ‘double conformity’, that is, two standards, 'to study better than the men’ and ‘to be ladylike’. However, these often could not be achieved together. They managed to address this by first changing dark day dresses into beautiful evening dresses, and second, by wearing academic dresses with triangular soft caps which demonstrated both their professionalism and seriousness of purpose and their femininity. Furthermore, clothes played an important role in indicating their identity. While participating in sports, game wear had an important role in displaying solidarity and promoting a sense of belonging to their own team or college. When the ceremonies such as evening and tea parties were held, they wore special dresses for the parties to display a sense of participation in their community.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Graduate School of Human Sciences and Design, Japan Women's University, Tokyo, Japan

  • Section