Figure 1.--This unidentified American boy wears a fairly standard tunic suit which apparently was his dress up outfit. The arm band he wears probably is for First Communion, meaning this was his dressiest outfit and that he was about 7 years old.

One of the most characteristic styles of the early 20th Century in America was the tunic. This was an older style that achieved new life at the turn of-the- 20th century. We do not see many in the 1890s, but suddently at the turn-of-the 20 century, tunics became a major boys' style. The tunic styles of Russian blouses and Buster Brown suits became especially popular. Many mothers who might have dressed their boys in dresses during the Victorian era, instead appear to have chosen the related tunic style. To many boys, tunics were preferable to dresses as they could wear knicker-like bloomers that showed they were no longer wearing girlish dresses. I have little information on the knickers/bloomers worn with tunics. I do not know if they had pockets, belt loops, and other features of normal knickers. They do, however, almays seem to have elasticised closures at the knee and not more boyish buckles. These details could bee quite important to a boy desiring to look like his father, or at least big brother. I think that they may have been made without pockets. This was quite important as any boy wanted pants with pockets so he could squirl away his little treasures, pieces if string, rubber ball, interesting rocks, shells, dead frogs, or what ever happened to interest him at the time.

Revival

One of the most characteristic styles of the earl-20th century in America was the tunic. This was an older style that achieved new life at the turn of-the- 20th century. We see tunics throughout the 20th century, although popularity varied during the century. It was a popular style in the early-19th century, at least for boys in thegroeing cities. (It should be stressed that at tyhe time tht the gret majority of American boys lived on farms in the countryside.) UIn th years before ophotography, however this is diffiucult to assess. When photography became availbke at mid century we do see boys wearing tunics. Especially popular were long patterned shitrs, often belted. We see more tailored tunics in subsequent decades. We see very few in the late-19th century, but not very many. the ll of a sudden at the turn-of-the 20th century, we see large numbers of boys waeing tunics, dine in various styles and colors as wsell as a rnge of mteril fior both summer and winter wear. e see more boys wearing tunics in the 1900s and 10s than at any time in the 19th century. We do not see many in the 1890s, but suddently at the turn-of-the 20 century, tunics became a major boys' style, lthough this was more of a middle-class hn a working-class style. Tunics continud to be a style rimarily worn by fashionble irbn families.

Popularity

Tunics were very popular for boys at the turn-of-the-century. We see large numbers of examples in the photographic record.

Chronology

We are not entirely sure when tunics became a major style. We do not see them very prominantly in the 1890s. But I don't think they suddenly appeared precisely in 1900. Thus we think they appeared in the late-90s. Nor do we lnow who helped to make the style so prominant. They seem to have been, however, prominant throughout the 1900s. We countless examples of American boys wearing tunic suits in the 1900s. A good example is an unidentified Tennessee boy in 1907. We even note tunic suits in advertising. A good example is Mellin's Food in 1903. Tunic suits were worn as both casual play outfits as well as for dressier occassions. .

Skirted Garments for Younger Boys

At the beginning of the 1890s, the convention of dressing youngr boys in dresses and other skirtd garments was still very common. This began to change during the decade, expecially by mid-decade. We are not entirely sure why this long-established convention so suddenly began to be abandoned by parents. We believe that the Fauntleroy Craze was a factor. Many mothers appear to have been so enamored with Fauntleroy styling that they decided to breech their sons earlier than might have been the case earlier. As a result, even by the turn-of-the century, we see far fewer boys wearing dressesses and other skirted garments. We also see far fewer boys beyond the ealy toddler years wearing dresses. The same is true of skirts and kilts. The only exception we note is tunics. They suddently became much more popular and were major style for two decades. Many of these boys before the turn-of-the century were boys that would have worn dresses. We see some boys wearing tunics at ages at which they would have been breeched. But the vast majority of boys wore tunics suits at age at whichthey might have worn dresses and other skirted garments like kilt suits before the turn-of-the 20th century. One important point is that while tunics were a skirted grment, they were worn with pants, mostly bloomer knickers and to a lesser extent straigh-leg kneepants. So they were actually boy who had been breeched. Many mothers who might have dressed their boys in dresses during the Victorian era, instead appear to have chosen the related tunic style.

Construction

Boys tunic suits consisted of two parts. There were the tunic skirt usually extending down below the waistline. This was done in various styles and colors. There were different constructions. Some appear to have been pull-over garments. These tunics without noticeable buttons seem especially common in the 1900s. while others buttoned up the front or the side. Tunic suits were usually worn with bloomer knickers. Sometimes you could barely see the bloomer knickers. Other tunics were made shorter so the bloomer knickers were quite prominent. To many boys, tunics were preferable to dresses as they could wear knicker-like bloomers that showed they were no longer wearing girlish dresses. I have little information on the knickers/bloomers worn with tunics. I do not know if they had pockets, belt loops, and other features of normal knickers. They do, however, almays seem to have elasticised closures at the knee and not more boyish buckles. These details could been quite important to a boy desiring to look like his father, or at least big brother. I think that they may have been made without pockets. This was quite important as any boy wanted pants with pockets so he could squirl away his little treasures, pieces if string, rubber ball, interesting rocks, shells, dead frogs, or what ever happened to interest him at the time.

Types

There were several types of tunics, Russian tunics and Buster Brown tubics were some of the most popular. Boys in Buster Brown bangs and tunic suits are almost a signatory smbol for the 1900s. Another popular tunic suit was in the sailor style. Sailor tunics were especially popular. A good example is the tunic suit worn by Ellis Gray Holden in 1908.

Seasonality

There were both summer and winter tunics, the difference being the weight of the material. We note the Bingham boys wearing white summer tunics in 1908-09. A good example of a boy wearing a winter tunic is Harold Howes in 1905. An example of a boy wearing a summer tunic is Arthur Proulx in 1908. We also notice tunic suits made in the same muted plaids popular for kilt suits (figure 1). This is a convention we only notice in the 1900s.

Conventions

The tunic was a particularly versitile style. It could be worn as a boy's dressiest outfit. It could also be worn as a boy's ordinary day to day clothes or indeed a play suit. Boys in tunics, because of their age wore a variety of hair styles. Many boys had short hair, but other might still have long ringlet curls. Particulartly popular in the 1900s were Buster Brown bangs.

Styling

The turn-of-the 20th century tunics were long, worn almost to the knees, longer than the mid- 19th century tunics which often looked more like shirts. Tunics were generally not fancy garments, but done with rather plain styling. Mothers being mother, they were sometines done up with fancier elements like Fauntelroy collars, but the basic garment was usually rather plain. There were of course exceptions. An example is Dayton Sizer Jr., a Wisconsin boy with a Russian blouse tunic. Mother has added a diagonal element with elaborate flower embroidery

Gender

We only see boys wearing tunic suits, although some girls' dresses were styled a bit like boys' tunic syuits. They were not, howevr worn with vloomer knickers displayed primebnently below the hem of the tunic hem.

Created: May 31, 1999
Last updated: 1:27 PM 7/7/2022