Figure 1.--This Puerto Rican boy looks to be about 7-8 years old. He wears a sailor tunic with bloomer knickers, long stocking, and two-tone high top shoes. This was a popular American style at the time, although it hardly seems suitable for Puerto Rico, especially the long stockings. And the portrait was taken during the summer, we think August.. There is writing on the back, but it is not very clear and partially cut off. We see that the boy was from Lajas, at the southerstern corner os the island. The date looks to August 19, 1913, but the last digit of the year is cut off. The boy's name looks to have been signed on the back, but we can't make it out. Click on the image to see the writing on the back.

We do have some limited information on the 20th century. We note very significant differences as to how children dressed depending on demographic and social class variables. These differences were notable when the Americans arrived. As far as we can tell, Puerto Rican boys soon after the American era began adopting American styles--at least families in comfortable circumstances. The campesino-style clothing continued to be work by working-class and rural families for some time into the 1930s. The boys here are a good example (figure 1). A factor in adopting American fashions was the substantial number of Puerto Ricans who migrated to the continental United States and influenced friends and families back on the island. This was facilitated when Congress passed the Jones Act making the Puerto Rican people United States citizens (1917). This all was chamging by the time of World War II. The Puerto Rican brothers and their sister on the previous page look to have been photographed during World War II. The clothes look rather American to HBC. Three of the children were reportedly named Josefina, Poldo, and Frank. Note that the boys wear long pants rather than knickers. Even though America was an important fashion influence, we believe that because of climate, knickers and long stockings and knee socks were not commonly worn in Puerto Rico. This looks to be an affluent family photographed in the garden of their home. The boys have rather modern looking suits while the girl has a rather 1930s looking dress. The great migration from Puerto Rico to the Contunental United States began after World War II (1950s). By this time the clothing diiferences Puerto Rico and the United States disappeared. Puerto Rican boys were basically wearing American stlyles adjusting for climate and income differences.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to main country page]
[Australia] [Canada] [England] [France] [Germany] [Ireland] [Italy] [New Zealand] [Scotland] [Spain] [United States]

Crerated: 3:43 AM 5/27/2019
Last updated: 3:43 AM 5/27/2019