Imperial Women's, Men's and Children's Clothing & Accessories #1

[Tasha_R]

Personally, I wish they'd come back in fashion.  One can't find anything really suitable for children to wear these days, for boys in particular, after the age of 9 months!  After that, most stores carry are things designed to make the child look like a miniature man wearing jeans and a tee shirt.  

Certainly there are the few specialty shops here and there where you can find a nice jacket for special occasions, and some boarding school clothes, but... sigh... I guess I was born in the wrong time period.

Best wishes,
Tasha

[Katia]

Ouch! I can't stand children wearing sailor suits (or their parent's who make them wear them...!) When I and my sister were little, we had to use sailor suits (blouses, skirts, even hats!) sometimes and I hated it when aunties and uncles said "How sweet..!" Bah!

I must admit OTMA and Alexei look very pretty in their outfits though...

[Tasha_R]

That's funny... my mother said the same thing!  

Tasha

[TampaBay]

Personally, I wish they'd come back in fashion.  One can't find anything really suitable for children to wear these days, for boys in particular, after the age of 9 months!  After that, most stores carry are things designed to make the child look like a miniature man wearing jeans and a tee shirt.  

Certainly there are the few specialty shops here and there where you can find a nice jacket for special occasions, and some boarding school clothes, but... sigh... I guess I was born in the wrong time period.

Best wishes,
Tasha

Tasha,

Where are you from?  North America or Europe or Austriala or South Africa?

TampaBay

[Tasha_R]

I was born in North America, but most of my family is in Europe.

I assume Tampa bay is in Florida... how did you fare with Katrina?

Tasha

[TampaBay]

I was born in North America, but most of my family is in Europe.

I assume Tampa bay is in Florida... how did you fare with Katrina?

Tasha

No problems at all.  The storm 100% missed the greater Tampa, Florida Metro Area.  Thanks for asking!

TampaBay

[Sarushka]

In the movie, was Alexei by any chance visiting with British relatives when he's seen in the British suit? Where were the photos taken of the various young Grand Dukes wearing the alternate style? I ask because I've noticed that when the Tsar received foreign leaders, he often wore a uniform from the visitor's country (and vice versa). Maybe it was a protocol thing?

[Kseniya]

i just adore the head piece!

You mean the kokoshnik?

[Tasha_R]

Sarah, that is a very good point. Yes, when visiting they often took on the uniform of those whom they were visiting.

Sincerely,
Tasha

[ChristineM]

They wore the uniform of the country they were visiting partly as a mark of respect, but also because they were, invariably, honourary colonel in chief and/or admiral.

In the case of Nicholas II, his wedding present from his grandmother-in-law, Queen Victoria, was the position of Honourary Colonel in Chief of the Royal Scots Greys.   The Royal Scots Greys presented the new Tsar with the entire uniform - down the minutest detail.   This is in displayed in the exposition in the Alexander Palace.

Later, Nicholas was created Honourary Admiral in Chief of the British Navy by King Edward VII.  This uniform is also exhibited in the Alexander Palace.

When Edward VII and Queen Alexandra visited Nicholas and Alexandra at Reval, the King wore the uniform of an Admiral of the Russian Navy while the Tsar wore his uniform of Admiral of the British Fleet.

tsaria

[Alixz]

I have a picture of my father who was born in 1918 and dressed in long curls untill age three or four.  The long dresses were gone for him by then, but he had the knickers and the high button shoes and what looks like a long sleeve silk shirt.
He grew up to play semi pro football, become and electronics engineer and work on the US space program in the 1950's and 1960's.
It was just custom and since everyone did it, no one thought it strange.
I do, though, have to tell people who see the picture for the first time that it is my father and not my grandmother.

[Martyn]

Good points Alixz, thank you for sharing them with us.

Old photos such as these are so precious, as they afford us a glimpse of a different way of life to ours......