A stylish and well dressed family pose for their portrait at the studio of J. Loerb in Porta Westfalica, Minden, Germany. It seems that someone forgot to tell the woman on the right that she was supposed to wear a light colored dress. Oops! Writing on the reverse of the image indicates that this photograph was taken in 1905.
STYLISH FAMILY IN MINDEN, GERMANY (1905)
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THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
Greetings CabinetCardGallery,
Knowing some of the German customs of this era, as my Ancestors are from this region and timeframe, the woman in the darker colored outfit might have been a very much cherished “first” mistress/maid to the lady she sits aside to.
According to appropriate conduct policy of the time, staff would be consigned to wearing outfits that should bring no unnecessary attention to them.
However, while it certainly would be frowned upon to invite staff to participate in such a portrait, it might be permitted if the staff was of some relation.
In any event, the person’s clothing appears to denote she was not one of the top level family members and therefore it would have been inappropriate and disrespectful for her to wear such clothes as might seem to attempt to outshine the higher ranking family members.
Respectfully,
Toni…