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The accompanying clothing worn with dresses are more limited than with many other garments. That is because a dress extended from the child's neck to below the knees. Thus you are primarily discussing the headwear, possibly neckwear, hosiery and footwear. Boys wore a wide range of headwear with dresses. Younger boys might wear bonnets. As far as we know, bonnets were styled similarly for both boys and girls. Boys might also wear fancy hats like girls. Here age was probably a factor. Wide-brimmed hats was one style we have noted. While both boys and girls wore dresses, often they wore different hat styles. Notice the different hats of the children here (figure 1). Most portraits do not include the headwear so out information here is still limited. Some children wore neckwear with dresses, but neckwear was much more common forboys wearing suits and blouses. Most of the images we have found show long stockings for hosiery and high-top shoes for footwear. The hosiery and footwear for boys and girls wearing dresses seem remarably similar. Styles changes chronologically, but we do not notice substantial gender differences.
Canadian boys wore a wide range of headwear with dresses. Usually the headwear, except for the various youngest was hats. Younger boys might wear bonnets. As far as we know, bonnets were styled similarly for both boys and girls. Older boys wore hats. We see fewer boys wearing caps with dresses. We see a variety of hats being worn by both boys and gurls. Boys might also wear fancy hats like girls. Here age was also probably a factor. The age of breeching varied from family to family. Thus there was some older boys, perhaps 5-6 years old still wearing dresses. This was less common after about age 6 years. These older boys might wear plainer-styled wide brimmed sailor hats. Wide-brimmed sailor hats is one of the styles we have noted in the photographic record. They were made with various crown, both flat and rounded. While both boys and girls wore dresses, often they wore different hat styles. Notice the different hats of the children here (figure 1). Most portraits do not include the headwear so out information here is still limited. Unfortunately relative few portraits of boys wearing dresses include the headwear.
Some children wore neckwear with dresses, but neckwear was much more common forboys wearing suits and blouses.
Most of the images we have found show children wering long stockings with dresses. Boys and girls wearing dresses wore the same long stockings. Colors varied chronologically, but not as far as we can tell by gender.
The most common tyoe of footwear appears to be high-top shoes. We also see some children wearing strap shoes. The footwear for boys and girls wearing dresses seem remarably similar. Styles changes chronologically, but we do not notice substantial gender differences.
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