Figure 1.--This drawing from a 1842 French fashion magazin shows a boy wearing a tunic with long pants in a contrasting color. Note the lace collar on the boys tunic. This is very similar to a tunic we noted in 1818, alhough the apants are different.

We have only little information on the pants worn with these tunics in the early and mid-19th century. We believe that younger boys wore pantalettes. When the boys were a little older they began wearing long pants. We have little written information, however, pantalettes may have also be considered dressy, formal wear. We also note long pants being worn through the 1850s. We note both baggy long pants looking rather like plain knickers as well tight trousers. After mid-century boys began wearing bloomer knickers. We have much more information about these outfits at the turn of the 20th century, but more on the tunics than the pants. Some of these outfits like Buster Brown suits were actually called suits. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. Other boys wore them with straig-leg knee pants.

The 19th Century

We have only little information on the pants worn with these tunics in the early and mid-19th century. We believe that younger boys wore pantalettes. When the boys were a little older they began wearing long pants. We have little written information, however, pantalettes may have also be considered dressy, formal wear. We also note long pants being worn through the 1850s. We note both baggy long pants looking rather like plain knickers as well tight trousers. We note the boys in the Paul Kessler-Trümpi family wearing baggy trousers in 1840. The French boy here wears rather tight-fitting trousers in 1842 (figure 1). At mid-century boys began wearing bloomer knickers, but we notice them with fancy suits more than tunic suits.

The 20th Century

We believe that tunics became popular again in the late-19th, mostly in the late-1890s. Most of our information comes from the years after the turn-of-the 20th century. We have much more information about these outfits at the turn of the 20th century, but more on the tunics than the pants. Some of these outfits like Buster Brown suits were actually called suits. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. Other boys wore them with straig-leg knee pants.

Created: June 29, 2002
Last updated: 1:01 AM 11/22/2007