Figure 1.--The Australian National Archives reports that this is a "Boy's tunic or dress of cream silk lined with cotton and coffee coloured lace and insert trims. Bodice wide neck with linen tape drawstring. Bodice of three main pieces, front has vertical pleat. Back opening closed by 6 mother-of-pearl buttons. Skirt fully lined loosely pleated to waist, two frills above hem. Skirt hangs at front and has some fullness at back. ; Jap silk, lined cotton; H 51cms W 58cms." The garment is undated. It appears to HBC to be a rather standard dress. We are unsure why the ANA suggests that it could be a tunic.

At this time HBC knows of no destinctive styles of dresses worn by Australian boys. Basically the same style of dresses were worn in Australia as in England. We still have, however, only limited information on the dresses worn by Australian boys. We have noted quite a range of styles and colors. Many dresses worn by boys appear to be little different than the ones worn by their sisters. We note some dresses worn in the late 19th century that look rather like the tunics that were also popular in America at the time. Presumably this was also an English fashion, but we have less information about English tunics at the time. The tunic-looking garments buttoned in front and thus have to be considered dresses rather than tunics.

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Crerated: February 12, 2002
Last updated: February 12, 2002