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boys' shirts : chronological trends -- United States America 1870s
American Shirt-like Garments: Chronological Trends--The 1870s
Figure 1.-- This Carte de Visite (CDV) portrait shows an unidentified boy wearing a dark jacket, buttoned up the front with a wide white Eton-like collar and striped ribbon cross tie at the neck. The collar is much larger than what we see in teh 60s. It is an Eton-like collar, but not classic Eton coolr, The tips are not pointed. The studio was Coleman & Remington, Hoppin Homestead, Providence, R. I. (Rhode Island). The standard (2 3/8" x 4") CDV was mounted on light-colored cardboard with a gilded edge.
We have problems in assessing shirt like garments in the 1870s using the photographic record. Most boys having their portraits taken wore suit jackets that were buttoned up, often with vests. So we don't get to see the shirt-like garment underneath. Often all you see is the collar. And often it was a detachable collar not part of the shirt. That is what you see here (figure 1). Gradually we begin to see larger collars than the very small ones you see in the 1860s. The collars in the 1870s were larger, but still moderate sizes. They were usually white collars. There was a substantial varition in sizes. Some were detachable collars worn with shirt waists. We see some Eton collars as well as variable such as Eton-looking collars without the pointed collars. We see ruffled and lace collars, but the Eton-like white collars were probably the most common. Here age of course was a factor. It becamne very common for boys to wear their jackets for formal portraits and not just blouses/shirts. We see these larger collars worn both with and without neckwear. And we see a greater variety of neckwear. We no longer see stocks, but more varied neckwear. The neckwear continues to be reltivly small, although more common and somewhat larger than what we see in the 1860s. These sort of ribbon cross ties were a popular neckwear style, especially at the beginning and mid-way through the decade. By the end of the decade we begin to see floppy bows, but not the really large ones we begin to see in the mid-80s.
Assessment Problem
We have problems in assessing shirt like garments in the 1870s using the photographic record.. Most boys having their portraits taken wore suit jackets that were buttoned up, often with vests. So we don't get to see the shirt-like garment underneath.
Collars
Often all you see is the collar. And often it was a detachable collar not part of the shirt. That is what you see here (figure 1). Gradually we begin to see larger collars than the very small ones you see in the 1860s. The collars in the 1870s were larger, but still moderate sizes. They were usually white collars. There was a substantial varition in sizes. Some were detachabe collars worn with shirt waists. We see some Eton collars as well as variable such as Eton-looking collars without the pointed collars. We see ruffled and lace collars, but the Eton-like white collars were probably the most common. Here age of course was a factor.
Shirt-like Garnents
It becamne very common for boys to wear their jackets for formal portraits and not just blouses/shirts. We notice a 1879 cabinet card depictng boys fishing without their suit jackets. They appear to be wearing a suit-like garment without a collar and with short sleeves. It is a little difficult to tell because they are wearing some kind of vest-like garment over the shirt-like garment.
Neckwear
We see these larger collars worn both with and without neckwear. And we see a greater variety of neckwear. We no longer see stocks, but more varied neckwear. The neckwear continues to be reltivly small, although more common and somewhat larger than what we see in the 1860s. Ribbon cross-ties like we see here, were a popular neckwear style, especially at the beginning and mid-way through the decade. By the end of the decade we begin to see floppy bows, but not the really large ones we begin to see in the mid-80s.
