Women | Page 32 | MNopedia

Bodice

Silk and lace bodice made by dressmaker Katherine Kiernan, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1897–1899.

Wedding gown

Chiffon and satin wedding gown attributed to Mrs. George F. Hall, 1893‒1897.

Evening dress bodice

Evening dress bodice, 1890–1899. Attributed to Mary Molloy.

Mary Molloy's dressmaking shop

Interior view of Mary Molloy's dressmaking shop, 15 Forepaugh Block, St. Paul. Photograph by Edward Straus, ca. 1890.

Dressmakers in Owatonna

Dressmakers (Ida Larkey, Etta Annis Teachout, and Orena Elnora Teachout) in Owatonna. Photograph by Fred Mueller, ca. 1890

Reception gown worn by Mary LeDuc

Gown worn by Mary LeDuc at a White House reception in October 1877. Made by dressmaker Jane E. Turner in September 1877.

Throughout the nineteenth century, custom dressmaking was one of the few socially acceptable professions for women of multiple ages and classes, including immigrants, young farm girls, wives, and widows. Dressmaking establishments—run and staffed primarily by women—provided creative labor, living wages, and career advancement opportunities for businesswomen and skilled workers alike.