SKANEATELES - Who wears 35 pounds of garments?
Football players put on enough gear to get close to that amount. Astronauts don lots of stuff.
But you probably wouldn't guess that teenage girls in the Victorian age often wore that much clothing
To make today's young women aware of such differences - from less than 150 years ago - Mary Jeanne Bialas gave a talk on the fashions of that time as part of the 14th annual Dickens Christmas tradition in Skaneateles.
Close to a dozen young children, and an equal number of adults, listened attentively as Bialas began her talk in a forceful and authoritative tone, perfectly appropriate for the prim model of decorum she was portraying.
Marcello Sapareto was the first to be dressed by Mrs. Skinnybottom, Bialas' persona. Master Sapareto is 4 years old, but looked much older - and quite distinguished - once attired in his formal jacket and black top hat. His mother, Susan Sapareto, looked on approvingly.
“We know that every young gentleman in 1872 must dress properly,” said Bialas, who then asked Marc what he planned to give his mother for Christmas.
A fat turkey? No, Marcello answered softly. Perhaps a fattened cow? Even less appealing, as his facial expression clearly showed. Flowers? Yes, Marcello agreed, those would make a fine gift.
Bialas then asked the natty Marcello, “Now, you need a young lady, don't you?” Sapareto looked uncertain as to the answer but played along anyway.
Jenna Fields, 8, volunteered. Seeing the traditional finery of circa-2007 American outerwear Fields had on, Bialas immediately took her for a young lady of privilege.
As she did throughout her talk, Bialas was not only witty but also told her audience of the difficulties even the wealthiest of families had during Victorian times - such as the fact that while the average family had six children, parents had usually lost three children before they'd reached their first birthday.
Attractiveness was much valued among teenage girls of 1872 as Bialas noted that daughters were never left anything in their father's will, that only the sons got an inheritance.
Their husbands might have gotten some blue money, but they weren't allowed. Marrying the right man was key, and parents almost always decided who the best candidate would be.
A woman's ensemble began with long underwear and then a demi-corset, she said. Mothers and sisters would yank the corset tight with strings, tied in the back, so the young girl's waist was as small as possible. They would start wearing corsets at the age of 10.
Bialas said women who were engaged were expected to have a waist size the same as their age - since most women married by the time they were 17, that made for an extremely small midsection. It often led to broken ribs, displaced livers, and frequent fainting spells.
“They did not allow her lungs to even breathe,” Bialas told her audience, drawing in her breathes in short spasms to demonstrate how difficult it could be.
Then came the layers of petticoats and other accouterments. Dressing took close to two hours, even with the help of a maid or two. And women were expected to dress differently during each of three periods of the day.
“It was warm,” Jenna admitted.
Jenna's final two articles of clothing were a puffy hat with plenty of feathers and a dainty parasol. Bialas admonished many of the adults in the crowd for their lack of proper head covering.
“I can tell which ladies here are ladies of ill repute,” she scolded, also upset with those who had cut their hair short. Only women who spent time in saloons cut their hair like a man, she said.
“Shame on you. And it doesn't seem to bother you in the least!”
Everyone smiled.
Then Marc and Jenna took off their antique clothes, and went outside to find Father Christmas among the crowds downtown.
But you probably wouldn't guess that teenage girls in the Victorian age often wore that much clothing
To make today's young women aware of such differences - from less than 150 years ago - Mary Jeanne Bialas gave a talk on the fashions of that time as part of the 14th annual Dickens Christmas tradition in Skaneateles.
Close to a dozen young children, and an equal number of adults, listened attentively as Bialas began her talk in a forceful and authoritative tone, perfectly appropriate for the prim model of decorum she was portraying.
Marcello Sapareto was the first to be dressed by Mrs. Skinnybottom, Bialas' persona. Master Sapareto is 4 years old, but looked much older - and quite distinguished - once attired in his formal jacket and black top hat. His mother, Susan Sapareto, looked on approvingly.
“We know that every young gentleman in 1872 must dress properly,” said Bialas, who then asked Marc what he planned to give his mother for Christmas.
A fat turkey? No, Marcello answered softly. Perhaps a fattened cow? Even less appealing, as his facial expression clearly showed. Flowers? Yes, Marcello agreed, those would make a fine gift.
Bialas then asked the natty Marcello, “Now, you need a young lady, don't you?” Sapareto looked uncertain as to the answer but played along anyway.
Jenna Fields, 8, volunteered. Seeing the traditional finery of circa-2007 American outerwear Fields had on, Bialas immediately took her for a young lady of privilege.
As she did throughout her talk, Bialas was not only witty but also told her audience of the difficulties even the wealthiest of families had during Victorian times - such as the fact that while the average family had six children, parents had usually lost three children before they'd reached their first birthday.
Attractiveness was much valued among teenage girls of 1872 as Bialas noted that daughters were never left anything in their father's will, that only the sons got an inheritance.
Their husbands might have gotten some blue money, but they weren't allowed. Marrying the right man was key, and parents almost always decided who the best candidate would be.
A woman's ensemble began with long underwear and then a demi-corset, she said. Mothers and sisters would yank the corset tight with strings, tied in the back, so the young girl's waist was as small as possible. They would start wearing corsets at the age of 10.
Bialas said women who were engaged were expected to have a waist size the same as their age - since most women married by the time they were 17, that made for an extremely small midsection. It often led to broken ribs, displaced livers, and frequent fainting spells.
“They did not allow her lungs to even breathe,” Bialas told her audience, drawing in her breathes in short spasms to demonstrate how difficult it could be.
Then came the layers of petticoats and other accouterments. Dressing took close to two hours, even with the help of a maid or two. And women were expected to dress differently during each of three periods of the day.
“It was warm,” Jenna admitted.
Jenna's final two articles of clothing were a puffy hat with plenty of feathers and a dainty parasol. Bialas admonished many of the adults in the crowd for their lack of proper head covering.
“I can tell which ladies here are ladies of ill repute,” she scolded, also upset with those who had cut their hair short. Only women who spent time in saloons cut their hair like a man, she said.
“Shame on you. And it doesn't seem to bother you in the least!”
Everyone smiled.
Then Marc and Jenna took off their antique clothes, and went outside to find Father Christmas among the crowds downtown.
