Figure 1.--This CDV portrait surprised us. We thought the twins were girls, but their names were Arthur and Harry. They boys look about 2-3 years old. There was no indication where they lived in America. The poertrait was not dated. We believe it was taken in the early 1870s, but the late-60s is possible. Not that we look close, the boys seem to be wearing blouses and skirts rather than aess.

Younger boys continued to commonly wear skirted garments incikluding dresses during the 1870s. We think just about all boys as toddlers wore dresses, but the age of breeching varied. Here social class was a factor. We notice boys wearing a wide range of different dress styles. As far as we can tell the dress styles worn by boys and girls were essentially the same at the turn of the 19th century. After mid-century we begin to see some changes. And they were increasingly notable by the 1870s. Notice the Carl Gutav on an earlier page wearing a white dress. We begin to see the boys wearng dresses that were paliner than that of their sisters. Carl Gustav's dress is as plain as you can get. But is does not stop here. Notice the brightly colored Scottish plaid waistband/sash. That is notable because Scottish kilts were the primary skirted garment that men coud wear. Queen Victoria when she began dressing the British princes in kilts launch the kiklt as boys' wear/ And by the 1870s in America we not only see increasing numbers of kilt suits, but we see the dresses boys wear done in tartan plaid fabric or with tartan plaid trim as is the case here. Plaid was not unknown for girls, but it was much more common for boys. While changes were occuring, it is still very difficult to be sure about the gender if younger children in many available portraits. We do not yet have a lot of specific stylist details. We note a range of patterns used for dresses. The children here seemed to be wearing a gingham or checked dress. Color is a more difficult topic because of the black and white photography of the day. We can tell that white dresses were popular for younger children. White dresses were popular, often paired with a colorfil waist sash. The Mint Museum of Art In North Carolina displayed is a young boy's dress with a rosette 'bustle' purchased in 1879 in Chicago for 4-year old James Cromwell. We are less sure about the colors used. The age of breeching varied, but it was commonly at about 4-5 years of age. There were substantial differences from family to family. One interesting development is the appearnce of plaid--we think a result of Queen Victioria dresing the British peinces in Scottish attire. Boys also wore other skirted garments, including kilt suits. These were skirted garments that girls did not wear. We think that boys wearing kilt suits may also have worn dresses as well. We are not positive about this, but it seems rather plauasible. But we would like to know if boys wre dresses and kilts rather than instead of kilts. We tend to notice slightly older boys wearing kilt suits rather than dresses, but there was considerable variation. Perhaps readers will have some insight here. We notice two Muncie boys, probably in the 1870s, wearing identical white dresses. Some mothers dressed their children in identical or coordinated outfits. Not all parents did this. It varied substantially from family to family. It was, however, a popular convention. White seems to have been a popular choice.This meant that the younger children might all wear identical dresses. Other parents dressed the boys and girls differently.

Prevalence

Younger boys continued to commonly wear dresses in the 1870s. We think just about all boys as toddlers wore dresses, but the age of breeching varied. Here social class was a factor.

Styles

We notice boys wearing a wide range of different dress styles. As far as we can tell the dress styles worn by boys and girls were essentially the same. We do not yet have a lot of specific stylist details. We note a simple, but boldy decorated dress worn by Gordon Bently in 1879. We note an Indiana boy wearing a very plain dress. We suspect that plain dresses reflect the fact that many dresses were sewn at home. Other dresses were more elaborately styled. We note some dresses swith low waistlines.

Colors and Patterns

We note a range of patterns used for dresses. The children here seemed to be wearing a gingham or checked dress. White dresses were popular, often paired with a colorfil waist sash. The Mint Museum of Art In North Carolina displayed is a young boy's dress with a rosette 'bustle' purchased in 1879 in Chicago for 4-year old James Cromwell. Color is a more difficult topic because of the black and white photography of the day. We can tell that white dresses were popular for younger children. We are less sure about the colors used. Plaid ws especially important. Notice the Carl Gutav on an earlier page wearing a white dress. We begin to see the boys wearng dresses that were paliner than that of their sisters. Carl Gustav's dress is as plain as you can get. But is does not stop here. Notice the brightly colored Scottish plaid waistband/sash. That is notable because Scottish kilts were the primary skirted garment that men coud wear. Queen Victoria when she began dressing the British princes in kilts launch the kiklt as boys' wear/ And by the 1870s in America we not only see increasing numbers of kilt suits, but we see the dresses boys wear done in tartan plaid fabric or with tartan plaid trim as is the case here. Plaid was not unknown for girls, but it was much more common for boys. While changes were occuring, it is still very difficuklt to be sure about the gender if younger children in many available portraits.

Breeching

The age of breeching varied, but it was commonly at about 4-5 years of age. There were substantial differences from family to family. Some boys were breeched earlier and some later.

Gender Conventions

Boys also wore other skirted garments like kilt suits. These were skirted garments that girls did not wear. While identifying the gender of children wearing dresses can be difficult, this is not the case with kilt suits. We think that boys wearing kilt suits may also have worn dresses as well. We are not positive about this, but it seems rather plauasible. But we would like to know if boys wore dresses and kilts rather than kilts. We tend to notice slightly older boys wearing kilt suits rather than dresses, but there was considerable variation. Perhaps readers will have some insight here.

Siblings

Some mothers dressed their children in identical or coordinated outfits. Not all parents did this. It varied substantially from family to family. It was, however, a popular convention. White seems to have been a popular choice.This meant that the younger children might all wear identical dresses. Other parents dressed the boys and girls differently. We notice two Muncie boys, probably in the 1870s, wearing identical white dresses. We note an unidentified family with both boys wearing identical dresses.

Created: 1:49 AM 4/21/2007
Last updated: 8:21 PM 12/5/2023