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| Birdie Belle Champlin |
Taken at Seymour Studio, Jackson, Michigan
Belle Champlin was employed by age 14 as a corset maker along with her mother. Fashions from about 1899 are noted:
This 'tailor made' is of wool. Her waist is shaped by a corset to what looks like about 15 inches. Long cuffs to the first knuckle are trimmed with 3 buttons. Pocket plackets as well as lapels are extra wide. The stand up collar is fastened with a booch which is connected to an arrow with a chain. The sleeves are narrower than the 'mutton" style of previous years, but with a high puff at the shoulder. Fabric covered buttons close the long bodice over a full-length, draped bustle skirt.
The hat is adorned with 3 small peacock feathers as well as a wisp of an ostrich feather falling forward. A large filagreed hatpin is slightly angled on the front, securing a wide ribbon with velvet stripes of varying width. A large bow on the back completes the high-crowned millinery masterpiece. Her look is accessorized by kid leather gloves, an umbrella with an ornate handle, and hoop-style earrings.
Tailor mades were described as ideal for traveling. In the 1890s, men objected to the tailor made female suit as they saw it representing a challenge to their authority. Women seemed to be making a clear statement that they deserved and wanted more independence in the future.
