The opening of the new First Person Arts exhibit is quickly approaching! My classmates and I are working on writing individual captions for each object. You can find links to their work here.
I am deciding between a few proposed captions of my own and would greatly appreciate your input. I will post the captions below. Please use the poll on the right to vote for the caption you find most effective to supplement a museum guest's understanding of the history behind Yari's baby clothes.
Caption #1: About Style
Babies born in the early 18th century wore tight swaddling or bodices, designed to restrict movement and straighten the infant’s back. By the mid 19th century, fashionable parents dressed their children in ornate gowns. Frills gave way to practicality with the modern creation of simple, comfortable one-piece garments.
Caption #2: About Movement
The practice of swaddling babies led to the development of bodices in the 18th century. Bodices physically restrained infants and were believed to strengthen their backs. 19th century infants wore elaborate gowns, allowing limited movement under the weight of extensive fabric. Simple 20th century “onesies” permit infants’ unrestricted physical activity.
Caption #3: About Shopping
In 1917, with the increased popularity of ready-made garments, a Chicago department store developed the first department exclusively for children’s products. Items were advertised in women’s magazines and newspapers and the store welcomed children. Isolating goods for children created a new consumer market that targeted both mother and child.
Caption #4: About Mothers
Historically, an infant’s clothing reflects the mother’s values. Mothers used bodices in the 18th century to strengthen their babies’ backs. Victorian era mothers displayed their infants in ornate, long gowns, often with expensive lace. Mothers of the 20th century sought a combination of style and function, such as colorful onesies.
Captions by Lynette Mattson
