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The Anne timeline was a confusing one, and it's been a while...I don't know if you read all the books, but I think one of Anne's sons served in WW1, which would put her in her forties in 1917. I thought the TV adaption was pretty good-showing off those lovely lacy white Edwardian gowns (remember Anne's poetry reading?). They started pulling back the fronts of hooped gowns in the mid sixties, and the hoops got smaller and flatter in front. The most extreme bustles then arrived, just absurd...always wondered how they managed to sit!

I think Anne's growing up years were more Gibson Girl, which would account for the "puffed sleeve" obsession. And once again, that silhouette was absurd, all wasp waisted, shoving the bosom forward like a bad case of scoleosis.

If you love fashion history, a great movie was the recent one about Coco Chanel. The movie itself was a real loser, IMO, but the last ten minutes was a breathtaking runway history of Chanel's best work. Worth a Netflix rental just to see the development of modern sportswear, which is what Kate shows off brilliantly. I do hope she's not a tiresome anorexic, because I look forward to her showing off more clothes.

Might be, but styles only show the earliest possible date, people don't always abandon an older style once they get used to it. There are many new styles I just detest and won't wear. (Extremely pointy shoes, for one thing, and I think women are wearing their clothes way too small for their true size)

I'm sure Marilla paid no attention at all to bustles or the lack of them. I love theatrical/historical costume. A good costumer can place a date and time if she knows her history. Just the shape of a bonnet can locate a year where the style first becomes popular. "Spoon" bonnets, poke bonnets. Matrons, even young ones, would wear little lace caps indoors.