| This shirt, like the previous exhibit, can be definitely dated to between 1920 and 1923. My surety as to this article's date, as with the previous exhibit, stems from the fact that it is a shirt that my father, Bernard Smith, wore when he was between one and four years of age. He was born in the year 1919, and like all children of that time, he wore shirts that looked more like little girl dresses. They were, as the photos on this page show, large enough for the child to 'grow into'. This shirt differs from the one previously exhibited in that it has no sleeves, and the bottom hem is a wide piece of tatting. This shirt is made of undyed muslin, a cotton fabric that was rugged and sturdy for extended use. In addition to the lack of sleeves and 'airy' nature of the hem, the material would have contributed to making the shirt cool in the summer. This shirt was probably made by my father's mother, Jennie; the sewing looks hand done. |
