Figure 1.--This Italian-Argetine boy wears a knickers sailor suit and reefer jacket overcoat. Notice the lighter-colored sailor collar and anchor dickie. The cabinet card portrait was taken in 1893. The inscription on the back written by the boy himself read something like, "Allo zio Maggiore Pasquale Rosario 6 11/93 Peppino Oro [or Ovo]". That would mean "To [my] Uncle Major Pasquale Rosario" and signed with the boy's name. Peppino Oro/Ovo. Peppino is a diminuative (little boy) nickname for Giuseppe (Joseph). Notice that the inscription is written in Italian, suggesting that he has recently arrived from Italy. The date is a little confusing. The 6 is sepatate from the 11/93 and lacks the slash. We took that to mean that 6 was the boys age. He does look to be about that age. And that 11/93 was the date. But November in Argentina is the spring/summer and the boys is dressed for winter so the 6 probably does mean June. The studio was Photo Platense in Buenos Aires.

As in Europe boys commonly wore suits in the late-19th and early-20 century and this included younger boys. There were some popular destinctive styles fpr the youngr boys. Argentine boys were a variety of popular European styles. As in Europe, sailor suits were popular in Argentina. Not only was their a fashion influence, but large numbers of of Europeans, especially Italians, emigrated to Argentina. The Italian-Argentine boy here is a good example in 1893 (figure 1). Sailor suits were one of the most popular and long-lasting boys' styles and we see then in Argentina as well. We are not yet sure about Fauntleroy suits. With the 20th century we begin to see more informal outfits for younger boys, specially after World War I. Short pants outfits were common in the intr-War era. Some Argentine boys wore romper suits. We are not sure about the chronlogy. We do not know when rompers first appeared in Argentina, but note boys wearing rompers in the 1950s. We suspect this is the European influence, perhaps Italian but many of the styles also look French. Argentina had a substantial Italian population. We are not sure how common rompers were. We don't see many in the photographic record. They seem to have been mostly worn by todlers. As far as we can tell, they were a boy's garment, but our information is still extremely limited. A variety of short pants outfits seem much more common. Somewhat older boys might wear blouses and button-on shorts, short sets with a kind of French look. Suspender shorts seem less common, but we are still working on the topic, but our information is still limited.

Sailor Suits

The most common style of juvenile suit was of course the sailor suit. This was the case throughout the Western World. It began in Britain and was most popular on the Continent, but was widely worn in North America. We also see it in Latin America, although was less common because of the region's small middle class. The sailor suit was probbly more common in Argentina than in other Latin american country. This was largely because of the substantial economic success of Argentina in the late-19th and early-20th century and substantial growth of the miffle class. Many economists believe that Argentina was on the verg of making the transition from a developing to a develeoped economy. The sailor suit is a style strongly associated wuth European royal families and more importantly the middle class which tended to follow royal fashion leads. And we see large numbers of Argentine boys wearing sailor suits in the late-19th and early-20th century. We notice an unidentified Italian-Argentine boy in 1893 (figure 1). This is paently clear in the photgraphic record. We see a range of styles in part due to the styles popular with important immigrant groups. We see German styles, for example, in Argentina, one of the few countries outside of Germany where we see these styles. Presumably the boys involved were from immigrant families. We do not think the German styles were widely worn by non-German Argentine boys. Tragically the disaterous policies pursued by Argentine Governments and supported by the powerful trade union leaders ended the trajectory of development, primarily by undercutting property rights and the rule of law and enacting socialist entitlemet programs that the developing economy could not sustain. As in other countriues, the popularity of sailor suit began to decline in the 1930s.

Fauntleroy Suits

We are not yet sure about Fauntleroy suits.

Short Pants Outfits

With the 20th century we begin to see more informal outfits for younger boys, specially after World War I. Short pants outfits were common in the inter-War era. We see rompers for the youngest boys. A variety of short pants outfits seem much more common. Somewhat older boys thus might wear blouses and button-on shorts, short sets with a kind of French look. The boys on the previous page are a good example. Suspender shorts seem less common, but we are still working on the topic, but our information is still limited.

Romper Suits

Some Argentine boys wore romper suits. we are not sure about the chronlogy. We do not know when rompers first appeared in Argentina, but note boys wearing rompers in the 1950s. We suspect this is the European influence, perhaps Italian but many of the styles also look French. Argentina had a substantial Italian population. We are not sure how common rompers were. We don't see many in the photographic record. They seem to have been mostly worn by todlers. As far as we can tell, they were a boy's garment, but our information is still extremely limited.

Created: 10:36 PM 10/20/2016
Last updated: 10:36 PM 10/20/2016