Figure 1.-- This boy's name is Philipp. The portrait shows him wearing a dress with very plain pantalettes. All we know about the image is that it was taken in Bremen during 1973. Image courtesy of the BP collection.

Pantalettes were a 19th century mix between underwear and outerwear. They were a type of underwear, but part of which was meant to be seen, below the length of lower garments, both skirts and pants. They were mostly worn by girls wearing dresses, but younger boys also wore them--both with dresses and knee pants. They were a modesty device. Legs in the first half of the 19th were not to be seen. Empire/Regency dresses were long. Pantalettes were not needed. But as hem lines began to rise, legs even ankles as a matter of modestly needed to be covered. This was the case not only for adults, but children as well. Gradually, younger children might show a little leg, but much of the leg was covered by the pantalettes. They were often done with frills and ruffles. Others were plain. The plain ones began to be called drawers. We see boys wearing pantalettes with tunics. As the boys got older they were worn with these drawers. They made the transition to white pants. White pants were very common (1830s-50s). Gradually as hem lines rose, the pantalettes got shorter. Finally they became so short that they only show at the hem line. It became difficult to tell if they were pantaletes or petticoat frills. We see a lat of Pantalettes in Britain, France, and America. They were much less common in Germany, but we do see some. We notice some German 19th century oainted portraits and photographs showing children wearing patalettes. We are not entirely sure how common they were, but they seem less common in Germany than in Western Euriope. The photographic record is the important source of information on pantalettes, bt we do not begin to see substatnial numbers of photograpic images until the appearance of the CDV (1860s). Dresses were note the only garments worn with pantalettes, but were the most common garment worn with them, in part because they were mostly worn by girls. Butyoungrer boyus also worn them. Here dresses and tunics were th most common garments. Boys' pantalettes might be more plain than the ones girls wore, but both boys and girls wore them. We have few details about colors at this time, but we believe most were mostly white. We also have very limited information on styles becaiuer the numberr of images we have acquired aresill relatively limited. .

Popularity

Pantalettes were commonly worn by American and European children in the 19th century. We have little information on Germany at this time, in part because we have just begun to acquire 19th century German images. The German images that we have archived suggest that pantalettes were common in Germany as well. HBC have no written information about pantalettes in Germany. They may hav been less common than in some other countries like France, but we are not sure. Of course in Germany a complicating factor is the many different states that even after unification (1871) retained much of their individuality. We notice that many German 19th century photographs showing children wearing dresses with patalettes. We are not entirely sure how common they were because in available portrits, the most important source of information on pantalettes, it is often not clear if a child is not wearing pantalettes or if they are covered by the skirt.

Chronology

HBC have no written information about pantalettes in Germany. We believe they were less common than in France, but this is just speculation at this time. We have noted one German painting from the 1830s showing that pantalettes were being worn, but do not yet know how precisely to interpret it. A German reader has provided us some initial information she has noted about the prevalence of pantalettes in Germany. We have little informnation on Germany at this time, in part because we have just begun to acquire 19th century German images. we note German children wearing pantalettes, but are not yet sure about the gender conventions.

Garments

we have found a few German imges of boys wearing pantalettes with dreses, both plain drawer-type pantlettes like the boy hereis wearing (figure 1) as well as fancier versions. The styles seem similar for both boys and girls wearing dresses. Dresses were not the only garments worn with pantalettes, but were the most common garment. Boys unlike girls wore a variety of garments, including other skirted garments as well as pants. We also notice German boys wearing kilt/skirts with pntalettes. So far we only notice pantalettes with skirted garments, but we only have a few examples of German pantalettes archived. They my have also been worn with knee pants.

Gender

We note both boys and girls wearing them. Boys' pantalettes might be more plain than the ones girls wore, but both boys and girls wore them. we note German children wearing pantalettes, but are not yet sure about the gender conventions. we note German children wearing pantalettes, but are not yet sure about the gender conventions.

Color

We have few details about colors at this time, but we believe most were white.

Styles

We also have very limited information on styles.

Mock Pantlettes

We note one Poznan boy earing a cut-away jacket suit with long trousers. The truosers have white frills sewed onto the bottom hem to emulate patalettes.

Individual Boys

We notice portraits of many German children wearing pantalettes. A good example is Johanna and Wilhelm Fischer in 1938. It was painted by Ludwig Aumont in 1838. We do not yet know how precisely to interpret it. We believe they were less common than in France, but this is just speculation at this time. We have noted one German painting from the 1830s showing that pantelettes were being worn, We have little informnation on Germany at this time, in part because we have just begun to acquire 19th century German images.

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Created: 6:07 PM 1/2/2006
Last updated: 10:59 AM 1/6/2016