Figure 1.--These American brothers look to be about 2-3 years old. They are identified as Fred M. and Frank M. The boys are wearing matching plaid dresses with big collars and button shoes. The dress seems to simulate a kilt suit. The cabinent portrait was taken at the Campbell studio in Detroit.

While color information on 19th century dresses is limited, we ca tell much more about patterns. Fortunately patterns show up in black-and-white photographs. Thus we can develop more information on this subject. We have only, begun, however, to address this subject. Solid colored fabrics seem by far the most common for boy dresses. Our basic observation at this early stage is patterened dress were more common for girls than boys. This is, however, only a preliminary assessment. One of the patterns we tend to note for boy dresses is plaid. Girls also wore plaid, but it seems more common for boys. We do not yet have much information on other patterns, but we have noted numerous portraits of boys wearing plaid dresses. Here the connection with plaid kilts worn by men and boys presumably was a factor. As regards patterns, catalogs tends to be less useful than colors. Thus old photographs are a major source of information.

Sources

While color information on 19th century dresses is limited, we ca tell much more about patterns. Fortunately patterns show up in black-and-white photographs. Thus we can develop more information on this subject. We have only, begun, however, to address this subject. As regards patterns, catalogs tends to be less useful than colors. Thus old photographs are a major source of information.

Solid Colored Fabrics

Solid colored fabrics seem by far the most common for boy dresses. These solid colored dresses were much more common than patterened or print dresses. The great bulk of dresses we have found show solid-colored fabrics. These photographs are very common and quite a number are archived on HBC. Unfortunartely because of the black and white photogroht of the day, we have no idea what colors the dresses were. Informatuion can be gleaned from catalogs and paibtaings, but unfortunately not from the photographic record. We note both hite and blacl dresses and many shades in between.

Gender

Our basic observation at this early stage is patterened dress were more common for girls than boys. This is, however, only a preliminary assessment.

Specific Patterns

One of the patterns we tend to note for boy dresses is plaid. We assume this was popular for boys because plid was the pattern used for the kilts worn by Scottsmen and Queen Victoria had helped make the kilt a boys garment. It was the kiltsuit that became an especially popular boys' garment. We are not sure about the colors used, but believe they were mostly bright red shades. Girls also wore plaid, but it seems more common for boys. At least we have found many more images of boys wearing plaid dresses than girls. (Here we are assessing the dresses worn by younger children because there were far few older boys wearing dresses.) We do not yet have much information on other patterns, but we have noted numerous portraits of boys wearing plaid dresses. Here the connection with plaid kilts worn by men and boys presumably was a factor. Interestingly the plaid used for dresses could be quite bright patterns. The plaids commonly used for kilt suits, however, were mormally dark muted plaids.

Created: 6:00 AM 11/5/2007
Last updated: 9:07 PM 2/16/2011