The Relationship of Women's Dress to the Social, Economic, and Political Conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee Between the Years 1895 to 1910
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 8-1971 The Relationship of Women's Dress to the Social, Economic, and Political Conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee Between the Years 1895 to 1910 Carmen Maria Abbott University of Tennessee, Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Abbott, Carmen Maria, "The Relationship of Women's Dress to the Social, Economic, and Political Conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee Between the Years 1895 to 1910. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1971. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/3869 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Carmen Maria Abbott entitled "The Relationship of Women's Dress to the Social, Economic, and Political Conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee Between the Years 1895 to 1910." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management. Anna Jean Treece, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Robbie Blakemore, Nell P. Logan Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) July 16, 1971 To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Carmen Maria Abbott entitled "The Relationship of Women.' s Dress to the Social, Economic, and Political Conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee Between the Years 1895 to 1910." I recoilllllend that it be accepted for nine quarter hours of credit in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Textiles and Clothing. /- ··~--··/ / { 62<:k:&f<..( L/.,.,~U,V) / M~-6= Major Professor We have read this thesis and recoilllllend its accept~nce: .// ~· -J ,,,.-,.,... - ., ·1' ~... (. ~t t(,_; s .;,,/,,,./~ 7fo-p.--, )/uv ex~ Accepted for the Council: Vice\·~4:~ Chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research THE RELATIONSHIP OF WOMEN'S DRESS TO THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS I� KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE BETWEEN THE YEARS 1895 to i910 A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Council of The University of T�nnessee In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Carmen Maria Abbott August 1971 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express deepest appreGiation to Dr. Anna Jean Treece, Head of the Department of Textiles and Clothing, for her guidance in directing this study. Sincere appreciation is also expressed to the members of her committee, Dr. Robbie Blakemore, Head of the Department of _Related Arts, Crafts, and Int�rior Design, and Dr. Nell P. Logan, Head of the Department of Home Economics Education, and to Mrs. Margaret Hardison, Instructor _in the Department of Textiles and Clothing, for their suggestions and assistance. Appreciation is expressed to Dr, A. K. Guthe, Professor in the Department of Anthropology, and to Mrs. F. E. McKamey and the residents of Shannondale for their assistance and.cooperation. Sincerest gratitude is.expresseq to the researcher's parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Howard Abbott, without whose continued support and encouragement this study could not have been completed. ii ABSTRACT The purpose of this study.was to investigate the relationship between women's dress and the economic, political, and social conditions in Knoxville, Tennessee between the years 1895 to 1910. It was hypoth esized that through an investigation of these cultural factors a rela tionship could be established betweeµ dress and social cl�ss. Data were obtained from a variety of sources. Historical back ground information was drawn primarily from books dealing with state and local history. In securing data relating to women's dress in.Knoxville, three types of resources were employed: local newspapers, personal interviews, and costumes from the Ellen M. Mcclung Green Historic Cos tume Collection. Supporting information relating to social stratifica tion, dress and social class, and fashion trends of the period under study was.also collected. A relationship between dress and social class was.evidenced. Several differences between attitudes and opinions expressed by middle class respondents and those.expressed by upper class respondents were apparent. A considerable difference existed in the interest in fashion expressed by the middle and upper class respondents. A notable differ ence also existed between the attitudes of the middle class and those of the upper class toward clothing as a status symbol. Reports from respondents indicated a marked difference existed in the means.of acquiring clothing between the middle and upper classes. Although spe cific styles were not investigated, a difference was also revealed in iii iv the characteristic dress of the middle and upper clqss--that is, the degree to which silk was used and corsets were worn. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION , 1 Statement of the Problem . ..., 1 Justification 1 Hypothesis . 2 Assumptions 2 Limitations of the Study ..' 3 Proceq.ure 3 Definition of Words 4 Organization of the Thesis 5 II. SUPPORTING INFORMATION . 7 Social Stratific?tion 7 Dress and Class Distinction 11 III. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND IN EAST TENNESSEE--1865-1910 , 17 Economic 18 Political 21 Social .. 24 American Women's Dress--1895-1910 32 IV. DRESS IN KNOXVILLE--1895-1910 43 Section I: Newspaper Data 44 Section II: Interviews 52 Section III: Costumes of the Green Collection 85 V vi CHAPTER PAGE V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . 104 Recommendations 106 BIBLIOGRAPHY 107 GLOSSARY . 112 APPENDIX . 117 VITA .. 119 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Hour-Glass Silhouette 37 2. S-Shaped Silhouette 38 3. Tubular Silhouette 39 4. Corsets. 41 5. Fashion Drawing . 48 6. Visiting Dress--Front 86 7. Visiting Dress--Side 87 8. Visiting Dress--Bodice Detail . 88 9. Afternoon.Dress--Front .• . 90 10. Afternoon Dress--Side . .... 91 11. Evening Dress--Front 94 12. Evening Dress--Side--Back 95 13. Mrs. Green in Evening Gown--1904 .. 96 14. Jacket--Front 99 15. Jacket--Back 100 16. Mrs. Green in Jacket--1907 101 17. Respondent I with Sisters 118 18. Respondent IV .. 118 vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The America which existed at the onset of the twentieth century reflected a social class system that was uniquely its own. But the social amenities which were characteristic of the more complex local class structures were not typical of all areas. Indeed, a community must first have possessed the. special cultural traits necessary for the cultivation of a socially elite. Knoxville, Tenne$see.was such a place. An abundance of established families, an economy which encouraged the amassing of substantial fortunes, and the cultural aspects of a college town all were instrumental in the development of a socially elite group. I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem of the study was to investigate the relationship between dress and economic, political, and social conditions in Knox ville, Tennessee during the years 1895-1910. Special emphasis was given to the social class structure as it was related to dress during the period. II. JUSTIFICATION There is at present a scarcity of sources of compiled data con cerning various aspects of local history, and in the case of clothing, such sources are virtually non-existent. The rapid·dissipation of 1 2 factual resources due to the deaths of individuals who recall the period under study and the de$truction of historic clothing and photographs make a study of this sort a worthwhile effort. The preservation of social-historical information related to dress should be of concern to students, educators, social-historians, and designers. Furthermore, through the investigation of the Ellen M. McClung Green.Historic Costume Collection, the study will perhaps make available to students with a special interest in historic costume a valuable source of knowledge con cerning costume during the period 1895 to 1910. III. HYPOTHESIS A relationship can be established between dress and cultural factors, especially social class structure, as they existed in Knox-. ville, Tennessee during the years 1895-1910. IV. ASSUMPTIONS 1. Distinct social classes.existed in Knoxville during the years under study. 2. Observable differenc�s existed in the dress of various.social classes during the period 189�-1910. 3. The costumes composing the Ellen M. McClung Green Historic Costume Collection are typical of dress worn by th� upper class of Knoxville during the period 1895-1910. 4. A review of social conditions in Knoxville during the period will shed light on the way of life of the people. 3 V. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 1. Investigation of social, economic, and political conditions in Knoxville were limited to the years 1865-1910, realizing that the conditions in the period 1895-1910 were dependent upon the development which began following the end of the Civil War in 1865. 2. Discussions of dress among the social classes were limited to the years 1895-1910. 3. Data.compiled were limited to