Ladies of standing, standing in the sun
Click here to view it larger.
Click here to view the back.
What it is:
Three photos, each measuring approx. 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
What I know about it:
The women’s surnames are listed on the backs. No other information.
Comments:
My initial reaction to these photos was that they were pictures of a costume party. But no, despite some surprising looks, I think they’re probably pictures of the real thing, ladies of some station in their community, probably gathered for some event, dressed up for the occasion, and commemorating it all with group photos. (Please correct me if you think I’m wrong.) The houses in the background look quite grand, and with their hats, veils, and parasols, the ladies seem to be living up to the setting. This is definitely one where I’d recommend clicking the link above to see it in larger detail. I like the wide variety of styles here, some trendy or even daring (for the day), and some old-fashioned (for the day), each expressing something about the wearer.
Pics of Then 
I like their facial expressions, as well as their outfits! Quite the garden party!
Yes, agreed, a raeal varfiety of facial expressions, too. It’s almost like they were gathered for a photo, and the photographer took some test shots before everybody was ready.
You know, looking at this again, I think it is some kind of costume party! The outfits seem to range from late 1890’s to the early teens, while the borders on the photos and their shape are making me think they could have been taken later, maybe 20s or 30s? (You would know more about that than me.) The ladies aren’t wearing the right underpinnings for the clothes, and the one in the shorter dress with the sash, pantaloons and hairbow, is obviously dressed much younger than her age. There’s also too much of a mix of styles–the woman to the left of the short-dress/pantaloons woman is wearing a getup that is more 20s, and no one would have still been wearing some of these earlier styles at the same time. (It wasn’t like today, where you could get away with wearing 20-year-old pants if they still fit you.)
Okay, maybe my first impression was correct. I was guessing the photo was from maybe the ’20s, though I’m not sure. And yes, the woman with the girlish outfit was one of the first clues that something was odd. (Unless it’s just that she’s odd.) But I’m left wondering what the theme was. It doesn’t look like Halloween or Mardi Gras. Maybe a pageant of fashions from different eras? As a charity fundraiser? They still look like ladies of society to me. Or at least ladies who think they’re important, like members of the D.A.R. or something.