Any idea of a date??

[chinakay]

OR has mentioned a couple of times that hats reached maximum width about 1910 and by 1912 or so started receding.

Cheers,
China

[Suttonrog]

China,

That is my understanding also. These hats are not BIG though, just large, they got to shoulder width. So earlier than 1910. Also look at the shoulders, these had gone by 1910.

Rog

[PaulaToo]

Also another thing I noticed, the coats are very loose...women's coats are more often fitted.

[*sparkle*]

Don't forget that these ladies are most likely mill workers living in the scottish borders. So money would have been scarce. The fashions at best may have been a few years out of date and the coats would not have been brand new. And who is to say that the hats weren't borrowed for the picture..... This would explain the loose coats also, maybe borrowed also as their own 'Sunday Best' may not have been good enough for the photograph.... Just a thought...

And there seems to be some family resemblance between the lady bottom left and the lady top right. Or am I imagining it?

Tx

[PaulaToo]

No, the coats are definitely loose cut, no tucks pleats or shaping. I know what you mean about borrowed clothes. They were made from good strong cloth in those days and could be handed down the family, so it isn't always a good way to date a photo.
I do think they look lovely girls though, and yes, the two do look like they could be related....

By the way, is there anything on the back of the photo, people on here do wonders with any information from the back as well.

[chinakay]

I think there is definitely a resmblance between those two ladies, and also between the lower right and back center ones.

I am also thinking the coats are all very similar in style. The cut, the shoulders, the collars, the buttons and the cuffs are all nearly identical. So...my opinion of the coats is that they all date the same, and thus are more likely to be concurrent with the photo than out of date. IMHO

Cheers,
C

[*sparkle*]

Thats a fair point, the coats and hats are all of a similar style so should all be relatively current with the times.

I dont have the original here. Will see if I can get my greasy hands on it again Or at least get a scan of the back.

Thanks everybody for this 

Tx

[Suttonrog]

Every street would have a "dressmaker". A tuck here, a pinch there - instant fashion.

Rog

[chinakay]

Interesting point, Rog.

C