Photographic Survey: Accessories

Paula started an interesting discussion at the Sewing Academy on accessories, and it got me thinking about how many accessories  (and which kinds) tend to be worn together in the period. So, naturally, I decided to do some statistical analysis of every original image I could easily lay hand on.  As one does.

The full spreadsheet is available here, if anyone else wants to play with the data for fun and educational (non-profit) reasons.

My survey included 436 adult, female sitters.  I excluded images less than half-length, or ones in which the figures' clothing was too small/obscure to see accessories. On the ones that I did use, I erred on the side of hazy items being present, but did not includes fully obscured objects.  This may lead to belts/watches being under-represented, due to a tendency to pose with arms/shawls/children obscuring the waist.  I grouped several types of objects together (such as bracelets and cuffs, or nets and other headdresses) based on location, because it was not always easy to differentiate them.  Where one object indicates another, I used them together (so "watch" includes images where watch chains are clearly visible, even is the watch itself is not).  I did not include white collars/cuffs/undersleeves or self-fabric pelerines for this survey, counting those as 'part of the dress' for the discussion at hand.  In retrospect, this would have a good time to get that information.

Results Summary:
Total accessories: 1215
Average per sitter: 2.76
Median: 3
Mode: 2
High: 7
Low: 0

Total Brooches/Pins: 309 (70.9% of sitters wore one, including wearing with a bow)
Bows/cravats: 88 (20.2% of sitters)
Brooches on bows or cravats: 30 (9.7% of brooches had bows or 34% of bows had brooches)
Belts: 147 (33.7%) including Swiss waists and other shaped belts
Watches: 77 (17.7%)

Earrings: 100 (22.9%)

Necklaces: 37 (8.3%*) includes long watch chain necklaces, pendant and ribbon chokers)

Bracelets and cuffs: 21 (4.8%) includes wristlets, leather/fur cuffs; pair or singles

Coiffures, including nets, bows, an tassels: 155 (35.6%)

Caps: 26 (6.0%) more covering than coiffures, not always easy to differentiate

Combs and similar hair ornaments: 9 (2.1%)

Hats or bonnets (worn or held): 53 (12.2%)

Mitts or gloves: 30 (6.9%)

Rings (total visible): 39, worn by 32 sitters (7.3%) (3 rings maximum)

Outerwear (shawls, mantles, coats, cloaks): 61 (14.0%) these tend to obscure other accessories

Handkerchief: 15 (3.4%)

Parasol: 9 (2.1%)

Others, including muffs (9) aprons (8), fans (6), veils on bonnets/hats (5), glasses (3), purses (3), and pins at the waist, attached to watch chains (2). 

*Some sitters wore more than one of these items (such as a ribbon choker and long watch chain, or two rings). Except for the "other" category,  I adjusted the percentages to 'sitters wearing one or more necklaces' rather than the 'total number of necklaces'.