Figure 1.--This Serbian boy in the late-19th century wears a tam and sailor suit. Note the toy cannon. What boy wouldn't want one. We don't know if it actually fired, but it certainly looks real enough. What noy wouldn't give his eye tooth for an artillery piece like this. Today boys are not even alloweed tioy guns. The Lincoln boys had one that actually fired, but I don't think that it was this big.

We do not yet have much information on the garments worn by Serbian boys. Serbian garments are a little different than those worn by boys in many other European countries. This is largely because until the late 19th century, Serbia was ruled by the Ottomans for several centuries. Thus there was a strong Ottoman influence as was the case throughout the Balkans which were conquered by the Ottoman Empire. After independence in the late-19th century, Serbia moved to integrate with the rest of Christin Europe and clothing styles became more Western. We are not sure about the process. It presumably was gradual just as the independence process was gradul. We suspect that as soon as it was safe to do so, Serbs wanted to wear Western dress just as they wanted to rejoin Europe. Here there was a major difference between urban and rural areas. There was a continuing Ottoman influence in rural areas. And there was a Muslim population in Serbia. We have little actual information, but presume that Muslims were less interested in both independence and adopting Westrn dress. We can not yet describe Sebian garments in detail because our achive of Serbian photograog=hs is still very limited.

Ottoman-influenced Garments

We do not yet have much information on the garments worn by Serbian boys during the Ottman era which began after the disterous defeat at Kosovo Polje (1389). Serbian garments are a little different than those worn by boys in many other European countries. This is largely because until the late-19th century, Serbia was ruled by the Ottomans for several centuries. Thus there was a strong Ottoman influence as was the case throughout the Balkans which were conquered by the Ottoman Empire.

Western Garments

After independence in the late-19th century, Serbia moved to integrate with the rest of Christin Europe and clothing styles became more Western. Popular styles like sailor suits became very popular in Serbia duringthelate-19th century. We are not sure about the process. It presumably was gradual just as the independence process was gradul. The Ottomans franted auttomy to the Serbs (1820s), but full independence was not achieved for some time (1870s). We suspect that as soon as it was safe to do so, Serbs wanted to wear Western dress just as they wanted to rejoin Europe. Here there was a major difference between urban and rural areas. There was a continuing Ottoman influence in rural areas. And there was a Muslim population in Serbia. We have little actual information, but presume that Muslims were less interested in both independence and adopting Westrn dress. We can not yet describe Sebian garments in detail because our achive of Serbian photograog=hs is still very limited.

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Created: 6:10 AM 11/4/2007
Last updated: 11:11 PM 1/10/2009