Posted by PeterH on June 05, 2006 at 22:34:52 from 86.130.133.152 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: How other see the S's and A's dressed (was Swallowdale - frocks) posted by Jock on June 05, 2006 at 21:04:07:
Yet more interesting findings! I note that in this foreign (Hungarian? Czech?) version, Nancy is wearing cut-off jeans, while Susan and Titty are wearing, yes you've guessed, silly little 'pelmet' skirts and tops. I find myself more and more admiring AR's choice of clothing for them - after all, there's a slight feeling of 'colonial' about AR's frock styles - a combination of 'sensible' and 'ladylike'. Bearing in mind the 'underneaths', you can actually imagine girls camping and prospecting in those frocks.
I suppose overseas illustrators can be forgiven some of the inappropriateness - perhaps they think English children dressed like that the whole time. A Dutch illustrator (Door H. Rotgans) actually shows Titty with the despised flounced sleeves. However, for my money there is one American illustrator who gets it right - Mary E. Shepard, who shows Susan in a loose-fitting dress tied in at the waist, from the back, with a bowed ribbon. It looks practical. (I am using Illustrating Arthur Ransome, the 1994 Amazon publication.)
Just one more query for our learned tutorial (I am glad to see that Jock has joined us - the bell-wether of Tarboard, I always think - if he's on your side, you're OK): in Swallowdale and P&M we given to understand that the G.A. deplored the idea of her nieces associating with the Swallows. Surely one look at those frocks and the old girl would have applauded the friendship? Particularly when compared with the knicker-bocker-clad Blackett girls. But did the G.A. ever see Nancy and Peggy in 'comfortables'? Surely sooner or later she must have done. Does she ever mention clothing? More work needed.