Figure 1.--Here we see three unidentified boys about 1905. They look to be about 2-7 years old. The younger boys wear tunic suits. The older boy wears a sailor suit. Notice how plain the outfits are compared to the elaborate styles common in the 1890s. Not a hint of fancy Fauntleroy styling. The tunics were a new style that became popular at the turn-of-the 20th century. Particularly interesring is the photpgrapher Edward S. Curtis of Seattle. He is the famous ethnographic photographer who captured amazing images of Native Americans. (Click on the image.) Unfortunately he was having trouble supporting himself on his Native American projects and thus maintained a studio in Seattle. About the same time he took this portait he was launching a project to make a motion picture of Amer-Indians in Brazil's Amazon Basin.

The most abrupt change in boys' fashions probably occurred in the early-20th century (1900s-1910s). A more profound change in styles occured at this time than in any other period. The two decades were similarm but with imortan differences. The over riding difference was a shift from the formal, fancy styles of the late-19th century. This was especially the case for boys exemlified by the Little Lord Fauntleroy Craze (1885-1905). It was unusal for boys' styles to be so flamboyent. What changed at the turn of the century was a shift toward informal, more practical clothing. Of course the new styles may look formal to us today, but it was a huge shift from the extreme formality and highly decorative styles of the late-19th century. Another majhor change was centuries-long convention if younger boys wearing dresses and skirted garments. The difference between the 1900s and 1910s is that new styles appeared in the 1900s, along with the old styles. By the 1910s the new styles become increasingly common and the old styles gradually disappear. We are not sure why the turn of the 20th century was such a turning point for fashion. Often there are larger societal developments which move fashions trends like wars and economic shifts. But this does not seem to be the case at the turn of the 20th century. Perhaps readers will have sime exolantiin as to what was occurring. of course World War I erupted (1914) and dominated the rest of the decade. The War was a powerful force for pushing practical plain clothing, but it furthered a fashion trend alreasy in motion rather than launching a new trend. While not ortiginating the change, the War was such a powerful driver that it transformed society fundamentally. Another shift occurred during this period. Boys shifted from the knee pants that they had been wearing for decades, to knickers. The change occurred suddenly and very quickly, about 1908-09. Again we have no idea what caused the change. It was not related to the trend toward plain, less fancy clothing. Younger boys continued to wear knee pants for a while, some shifting to short pants. But most boys began weraing knickers which like knee pants became essentially universal. Another development is that American and Eurooean fashions began to diverge Until the 1910s there was a lot of similarity between European and American fashions. This changed when American boys began wearing knickers. European boys began wearing short pants. Some European boys wore knickers, but it was not largely universal as in America. We are primarily looking at boys' fashions. but there were also changes in girls's fashions and adult fashions as well.

Created: 11:41 PM 6/4/2020
Last updated: 11:41 PM 6/4/2020