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We do not yet have much information on boys' suits in Serbia, but we have begun to collect some information. A major consideration here is that Serbia was just emerging from the Ottoman era in the 19th century. It was not as prosperous as Western Europe and of course prosperity affects fashions. And a large part of the rural population even after independence did not fully adopt Western styles. One problem is that we have so few 19th century Serbian photographs. Economic prosperity also affects the photographic industry and the size of the photographic industry. We have begun to acquire some images, but our archive is quite limited. What little we see shows suits that are similar to standard European styles. The family portrait here shows both adult and boys' suits (figure 1). Austria/German styles seem particularly influential. One popular style was the sailor suit. Not as popular perhps as in Austria and Germany, but still popular. Serbia is a land locked country, but the sailor suit seems very popular both the 19th and 20th century. We re not sure when they first appeared. Our 19th century Serbian archive is to limited to know when the style reached Serbia, but the 1860s is likely. The Austrian/German influence is likely a factor. We see sailor suits into the mid-20th century. Some families dressed all the children or at least the boys in matching sailor suits. We see boys wearing them from very young age unto their early-teens. Traditional styling seems standard, but as in other countries, Serbian mothers often added special touches. The unidentified Belgrade boy on the previous page a good example. Mother has added a lace collar showing the influence of Fauntleroy styling. We know a little more about Serbian suits in the 20th century as our archive is much more substantial. We continue to see Serbian styles basically following general European styles. One of the most important sources of information are the available school portraits. Until after World War II it was common for boys in the cities to wear suits to school.
We do not yet have much information on boys' suits in Serbia. Our archive is very limited which prevents us from developing much detail. We have, however, begun to acquire some images and have developed a little information. The chronology was different than in Western Europe. A major consideration here is that Serbia was just emerging from the Ottoman era in the 19th century. People in rural araeas till wore traditiinal styles. The suit is a Western garment and at first only worn by boys from the gradually increasing number of Western oriented families. Here we see a family that had adopted various Western styles at an early point, we think in the 1870s (figure 1). At the turn-of-the century we see some suits with some Serbian decorative touches.We see stylish Western suits after World War I when Serbia became the dominant part of Yugoslavia. Even after the Communists seized control in the aftermth of World War II, we coninue to see boys wearing fashionanle suits. The suits are not different from whatb we see in Estern Europe. This coinyinued until suits began to become less fashionanle in the 1960s.
Serbia was not as prosperous as Western Europe and of course prosperity affects fashions. And a large part of the rural population even after independence did not fully adopt Western styles. One problem is that we have so few 19th century Serbian photographs. Economic prosperity also affects the photographic industry and the size of the photographic industry. We have begun to acquire some images, but our archive is quite limited.
What little we see shows Serbian boys as they emrrged out of the Ottoman Empire weating suits that are similar to standard European styles. Thus was a process. Serbians wore kargely traditional styles in the early-19th century, but as they energed from the Ottoman they began to adopt Western styles. And we thus see many Serbian boys by the end of the 19th century. wearing the same style suit popular in Western Europe. The 19th century family portrait here shows both adult and boys' suits (figure 1). You canoot identify the nationality of Serbian boys by the suits they wear, which is possible to some extent in the West. But because Serbian styles are of Western origins they cannot be idenbtified as Serbian. Austria/German styles seem particularly influential. One popular style was the sailor suit. Not as popular perhps as in Austria and Germany, but still popular. Serbia is a land locked country, but the sailor suit seems very popular both the 19th and 20th century. We re not sure when they first appeared. Our 19th century Serbian archive is to limited to know when the style reached Serbia, but the 1860s is likely. The Austrian/German influence is likely a factor. We see sailor suits into the mid-20th century. Some families dressed all the children or at least the boys in matching sailor suits. The styles are often not quite the perfect adopton of the traditionsl styles, but often close t nit. We see boys wearing them from very young age unto their early-teens. Traditional styling seems standard, but as in other countries, Serbian mothers often added special touches. The unidentified Belgrade boy on the previous page a good example. Mother has added a lace collar showing the influence of Fauntleroy styling. We know much more about Serbian suits in the 20th century as our archive is somewhat more substantial. We continue to see Serbian styles basically following geeral European styles. One of the mot important sources of information are the available school portraits. Until after World War II it was common for boys in the cties to wear suits to school.
The style od a suit is primrily based on the kacket sdtyle. Over time, however, boys have worn different types of pants with their suits. With pants the different tyoes have kless to do with styling than length.
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