Ultimate Doll Costuming: The Trousseau
French C Series Steiner with Trousseau
by Donna Birkey
Trousseau of the Nineteenth Century
In the same way as brides assembled a trousseau in the 19th century, the child of 100 years ago fully expected that mother or grandmother would make a trousseau for dolly. She was not disappointed, for the “little ladies” of the 19th century grew up learning “womanly” duties by practicing on their dolls.
Doll dressing and undressing was a normal part of child’s play in the last century and so it was very important to own a trousseau for dolly. While most children were content with “family-made” clothes, a few fortunate girls could boast of their dollies’ “haute couture” trousseau. French dolls, so popular then, could be outfitted in stylish clothes made by excellent seamstresses. Harper’s Bazar in 1868 also described a German wax doll with “exceedingly stylish” clothes made in Berlin. No doubt seamstresses in sophisticated Berlin could produce garments to compete with the French doll trousseaus better than the provincial Germans could, but these complete toilettes for a doll were very expensive.
The Collector’s Book of Doll Clothes cites: “Although seamstresses earned less than 50 cents a day for making dolls’ clothes, many of the dolls’ trousseaus were so elaborate and complete that they added as much as a hundred dollars to the cost of the doll itself.” In a ploy not dissimilar to today’s “create a market,” publications such as Harper’s Bazar touted “what the well-dressed doll should wear.”
On the other hand, in 1889-1900 The Doll’s Dressmaker, tells the story of a little girl who had a doll’s wardrobe similar to her own: “We made her two complete sets of under clothing and lots of dresses. Mamma made an ulster (overcoat) of checked cloth on the machine. It’s just like mine and real pretty. Edith’s big sister crocheted her a pussy hood. You know what I mean, out of angora yarn. Then she had the daintiest little white aprons, just like the kind I wear to school.”
A doll with trousseau in a presentation box as shown in an 1896 catalog. |
Doll with trousseau in a trunk, as shown in a 1908 fashion periodical. |
From the beginning of the 19th century there were paper dolls and doll-dressing sets with many different clothes included. An 1806 issue of Les Jeux de la Poupee portrayed a “real” doll just like its mistress. The child is shown “taking dolly for a walk, putting it to sleep and arranging its breakfast with a delicate little coffee-pot and dishes.”
In 1881, another account of doll play in Le Jeu de la Poupee, includes “undressing and giving a bath to the doll and even ‘vaccination’ by a small boy acting the part of the doctor. This French doll is seen progressing from a diet of milk, fed from a long tubed baby bottle, to gruel cooked in a tiny saucepan and, finally, on her ‘mother’s’ knee she takes a sip of sweet wine and a biscuit. The doll which in 1806 was pictured taking an airing on leading strings has by 1881 acquired a cute little three-wheeled baby carriage in wicker work and she is put to bed at night in a beribboned cradle.”
An Antique Example
Several years ago at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, I was privileged to inspect a German lady doll purchased about 1906 in France for a local child. The doll came in a rather large trunk, along with an extravagant trousseau of about fifty items, providing a wonderful model for today’s dolls. She wore a finely made two piece dress of pink silk (which has greatly deteriorated through the years). The dress had a coat to match, richly ornamented with lace and pleats. There was also a white silk dress and one of eyelet embroidery.
Antique German Lady Doll |
Coat 
Letters |
Accoutrements 
Gloves |
The underlinens included a chemise and drawers which formed the foundation. A white muslin petticoat trimmed with lace and a pleated double ruffle, two corsets, and a garter belt rounded out the ensemble. Another necessary item was the nightgown.
Among the impressive array of hats, dolly could choose one with a pink velvet crown and white felt brim, which flaunted flowers and egret feathers. Or she could select a straw hat embellished with ribbon and feathers. Another straw hat sported wax cherries, leaves, and velvet ribbons. The braided horsehair hat, embellished with flowers, or a black velvet hat with soft crown might be the choice of the day. A hatbox of wood covered with black oilcloth could hold only one hat of the collection. After deciding which hat was suitable for the day’s activities, dolly would throw on a hooded cape of velvet lined with silk for a crisp fall walk, or, if it was raining, don her brown satin raincoat with shoulder cape.
Footwear included tan mesh stockings, tan laced boots with flat heels, black single strap shoes, and single strap white kid shoes with flat heels.
To complete the trousseau, and to educate her owner in proper etiquette, accessories were plentiful. They included:
* A parasol of pink silk and one of red silk
* Two veils-one of black silk lace and the other of gray net
* Four pairs gloves
* Three purses
* A jewel case and lorgnette
* White linen handkerchief
* Two fans
* Sunglasses
* Tortoise shell combs
* A perfume bottle
To keep in touch with dolly’s friends were stationery, stamps, and red sealing wax.
