Argentine Boys Clothes: Garments--Suits


Figure 1.--Here we see three unidentified brothers. The two older boys wear identical light-colored double-breasted suits with short pants and black long stockings. Their little brother wears a white shirt, short pants, and knee siocks. The photograph is undated, but looks to have been taken about 1930.

As far as we can tell, Argentine boys suits generally followed European trends. American fashion trends seem less important. Here both immigration and trade patterns were at play. We do not yet have much information on Argentine boys' suits in the 19th century. So we can not show that, but it seems highly likely. It was the basic pttern throughout Latin America. We have found much more information some information on the 20th century. We notice boys wearing various jacket styles. We note Norfolk as well as single and double breasted jackets in the early-20th century, but single-breasted blazers became more common in the later half of the century. We see younger boys wearing sailor suits. British and European styles seem more important than American styles. Knee pants and short pants were very common for boys. Until about 1930, long stockings were common, especially for older boys. Gradually knee socks became more popular Knickers were less common. Long pants suits became more common after mid-century, although suits were becoming less common by the 1970s. we are not yet sure about the social class conventions. Most of the images we have found seem to be middle-class families. We suspect that many working-class families could not afford suits.

Fashion Influences

As far as we can tell, Argentine boys suits generally followed European trends. American fashion trends seem less important. Here both immigration and trade patterns were at play.

Chronology

We do not yet have much information on Argentine boys' suits in the 19th century. Our Argentinre archive is limited and we have very few 19th century images. Thus we can not show that 19th century trends followed European patterns or which ones, but it seems highly likely. It was the basic pttern throughout Latin America. We have found much more information some information on the 20th century. We note knee pants suits in the early-20th centurry. Short pants suits became poopular after World War I. We ghink this was primarily for boys fom affluent families. We note younger teens wearing short pants suits into the 1930s (figure 1). A good example is an unidentified boy in 1932. We see knicker suits, but they were not very common. After Workd war II, long psnts suits becone increasingly common, although younger boys continie to wear short psnts suits into the 1970s. By this times suits themselves were becoming less common.

Styles

Argentine boys wore the same styles of suits we see in other countrie, primarily styles set in European countries. A factor here ws both immigration as well as commerical influences. Here Britain was particularly important. The style of suits comes orimarily from the jacket. Normaly there is little styling associated with the pants and trousers. There are two basic styles of suits, lrgely age dependent, juvenile suits for younger boys and standard suits for older boys. Here the two age groups blurred over time as a result of chrolohoical fashion changes as well as family differences over childhood fashion conventions. The most common style of juvenile suit was of course the sailor suit and we see a range of styles in part due to the styles popular with important immigrant groups. We see other popular styles as well. Standard suit include Eton and Norfolk styling as well as singlee and double-breasred styling.

Garments

Several different garments make up suits. The basic and most important suit garments are jackets and pants. Occassional caps and more commonly vests are also suit garments. The types and styles of these garments varied over time. We notice boys wearing various jacket styles. We have little informtion on the jacket styles popukar in the 19th century like the cut-away jcket. We note Norfolk as well as single and double breasted jackets in the early-20th century, but single-breasted blazers became more common in the later half of the century. We see younger boys wearing sailor suits. British and European styles seem more important than American styles. Knee pants and short pants were very common for boys. Until about 1930, long stockings were common, especially for older boys. Gradually knee socks became more popular. Knickers were much less common. We see some boys wearing knickers, but they do not seem very common. less common. Long pants suits became more common after mid-century, although suits were becoming less common by the 1970s. We are less sure about vests at this time, in part because they were most populr in the 19th century and we have very little informatioin about the 19th century.

Ages

The poularity of the different tyoes of suits varied over time. Here the type of pants selected was often affected by age as were the hosiery worn with pants. These age conventionsvaried over time. Here in the 1930s, all the boys wear short pants, but the older boys wear long stockings while their little brother wears knee socks.

Social Class

we are not yet sure about the social class conventions. Most of the images we have found seem to be middle-class families. We suspect that many working-class families could not afford suits.











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Created: 7:09 AM 5/25/2011
Last updated: 6:12 AM 10/10/2014