We believe that American mothers followed the same basic chronology of outfitting boys in dresses as was the case in Europe, especially Britain. This was the common pattern for several centuries in Europe, although we are unsure just how this played out in colonial America. We know that clothing styles were set in Europe, primarily Britain aznd France. Fashions would have come largely Britain, but French fashions influenced British fashions--especially dresses and other women's dresses. This would have been the styles worn in the towns and cities. There were, however, not very many cities. Most Americans lived on farms in rural areas. And practical farm clothes did not equate with European fashions. Affluence is an interesting question. Americans compared to Europeans were relatively well off. When measured in practical terms like diet and land ownership, ASmericans were bettr off than English people. Income disparities were not as great as in England. But this meant that there were fewer people that had the wealth to give great attention to fashion. We have portraits painted of affluent residents of the major cities and we see essentially European-styled dresses. What we do not yet know is how the great masjority of boys were dressed who lived on farms or small towns in rural America.
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