1908 dress code

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My parish is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first mass. Our pastor (who loves Latin) has planned a reenactment of the first mass. It will be in Latin and we have to come dressed as people did in 1908.
(I will also be part of the “choir” and am learning the Latin service music along with a handful of other parishoners. This is the “good stuff”! Just beautiful. My 12 and 8 year old study Latin and will join the choir as well.)
I have read the threads that I can find about mantillas. My question is, would a woman in 1908 have more likely worn a mantilla or hat at mass? When did the mantilla become common place at mass?
 
KMark said:
My parish is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first mass. Our pastor (who loves Latin) has planned a reenactment of the first mass. It will be in Latin and we have to come dressed as people did in 1908.
(I will also be part of the “choir” and am learning the Latin service music along with a handful of other parishoners. This is the “good stuff”! Just beautiful. My 12 and 8 year old study Latin and will join the choir as well.)
I have read the threads that I can find about mantillas. My question is, would a woman in 1908 have more likely worn a mantilla or hat at mass? When did the mantilla become common place at mass?
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Regardless, the women your Mass will likely be dressed in a much more “prayer conducive” manner than what I’ve seen at my Novus Ordo parish… if you know what I mean!
😉
 
KMark said:
MyI have read the threads that I can find about mantillas. My question is, would a woman in 1908 have more likely worn a mantilla or hat at mass? When did the mantilla become common place at mass?
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probably only in Spain or Mexico
women in that era almost univesally wore HATS outside the home, whether going to church, shopping, or visiting. actually depending on what part of the country, and rural or urban, that was the time of transition between “bonnets” and “hats”. go on any historic fashion website and see the styles of the era. was your parish home to an ethnic group? there could be clues there too. try your local historical society for help in this area

in this country, mantillas or chapel veils were worn widely when secular fashions began to change and the hat no longer became a standard part of apparel for women outside the home.
 
This is an Italian parish in New York, about 50+ miles north of the City next to the Hudson River. An added note of interest: Mother Cabrini would come to our parish to work with the italian immigrants. She stayed in a house adjacent to our church property. The church used to own it but sold it many years ago when it needed money.

Since I knew that my head would be covered, I had by default thought of a veil Then I wondered if this was indeed true. A hat is probably the way to go.
 
That sounds very nice…

Will there be a gathering afterwards where you can take pictures and post a link?

God Bless
Scylla
 
Great idea! I am sure that there will be a reception and “photo op”
and will upload photos. The mass takes place Oct. 12.
There is one thing that does not speak well of fellow Catholics back in 1908. The Church was originally founded by the Irish. When the Italian immigrants came and asked to use the church, they were only allowed to use the basement of the church for their masses. Today we are used to everyone just walking in and find it hard to understand why the Italians were not welcomed as fellow Catholics, ignoring nationality.
The Irish bought land and built a new church 1/2 hour north and the Italians stayed, renaming the Church from St. Peter to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
That first mass for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish was in the basement, as I said, and our reenactment will also be in the basement of the church to truly honor the first immigrants.
 
** (I will also be part of the “choir” and am learning the Latin service music along with a handful of other parishoners.**

**I don’t think women were allowed to be part of parish choirs in 1908.

Women were allowed to sing only on women’s religious chapels and girls’ schools.**
 
I’ll pass that along about women not singing in the choir. I am sure that no one was aware of that. Today, of course, there are very few men, if any, who sing.
 
bpbasilphx said:
** (I will also be part of the “choir” and am learning the Latin service music along with a handful of other parishoners.**

**I don’t think women were allowed to be part of parish choirs in 1908.

Women were allowed to sing only on women’s religious chapels and girls’ schools.**
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This is true. The SSPX still discourages women in the choir.

In terms of the OP, back then it was likely hats. Mantillas are more popular now then they were then for the TLM.
 
The previous comment about women excluded from the choir, except in certain cases, prompts another question: were women allowed to sit with the men during mass?
 
KMark said:
The previous comment about women excluded from the choir, except in certain cases, prompts another question: were women allowed to sit with the men during mass?
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According to Canon Law, no. But this was almost universally ignored.
 
Our 100 year anniversary was last year. What a great idea. wish we had doen it, maybe it isn’t too late…
 
KMark said:
This is an Italian parish in New York, about 50+ miles north of the City next to the Hudson River. An added note of interest: Mother Cabrini would come to our parish to work with the italian immigrants. She stayed in a house adjacent to our church property. The church used to own it but sold it many years ago when it needed money.

Since I knew that my head would be covered, I had by default thought of a veil Then I wondered if this was indeed true. A hat is probably the way to go.
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Here’s a nice little ensemble:
 
KMark said:
I’ll pass that along about women not singing in the choir. I am sure that no one was aware of that. Today, of course, there are very few men, if any, who sing.
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The only one I remember singing, but past 1908 so I don’t go back that far, was a soloist, she sang beautifully, not a nun, nuns did not do such things like in public. I don’t remember singing the latin responses just saying them. Enterance and exit music was just the organ. The nuns (many) were never in Mass as they had there own chapel and served seperately by the priests, we had three priests. We had a children’s choir but never sang in church, it was just part of music lessons. The children were pretty much kept in a “cry” room in the back, maybe till 4 years old. My mother breast fed till we were each 2 or 3 years old so they needed privacy. The men had hats because there still are hat hooks in all the pews, and the women wore hats but nice plain ones not anything big or fancy, everyone took their coat off, we had lots of coat racks and ladies wore nylons and nice dresses but not fancy. Everything was very plain and usually made of itchy wool if winter so be glad it is not winter:p to be authentic:)
 
KMark said:
The previous comment about women excluded from the choir, except in certain cases, prompts another question: were women allowed to sit with the men during mass?
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Haven’t you ever seen the Titanic? No I don’t think the women would be allowed alone in a Mass as the man or husband or father was considered owning the woman. I think a woman would not go unless escorted by a man of some sort. They Molly Brown was not typical I believe.😃 Maybe I’m goofy but that is what the movie was about her breaking the mold.
 
dessert said:
Haven’t you ever seen the Titanic? No I don’t think the women would be allowed alone in a Mass as the man or husband or father was considered owning the woman. I think a woman would not go unless escorted by a man of some sort. They Molly Brown was not typical I believe.😃 Maybe I’m goofy but that is what the movie was about her breaking the mold.
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The parish church was not a music hall. Women might go in pairs but they didn’t need their “owner” to take them on a leash. At least not in America.
 
dessert said:
This was for Church? I suppose in NY?
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This looks to me more like an afternoon ensemble than a morning costume. But it would be “day” apparel for street wear. Aside from peasant dress, with variations in quality, this sort of costume would have been seen everywhere. When Sears Roebuck begain the mail order business, the lines between “City” and “Country” really started to disappear.
 
mercygate said:
This looks to me more like an afternoon ensemble than a morning costume. But it would be “day” apparel for street wear. Aside from peasant dress, with variations in quality, this sort of costume would have been seen everywhere. When Sears Roebuck begain the mail order business, the lines between “City” and “Country” really started to disappear.
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Was that with the corset or without?
Here is a site for the OP too.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwardian

from Wiki I think the fashion was after the Victorian age and women in general were getting into more sports so for the OP you don’t have to wear a corset, I’ll bet she is relieved :clapping: 😉
Don’t forget to tell the men to tip their hat. 👍
 
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