Figure 1.--Here we see an American boy wearing a long plaid dress with a small floppy bow and what look like a small lace collar. The portrait was by Roshon in Bethlehem, Pennsylvanis. The portrit is undated, bit looks to have been taken in the early 1880s.

A substantial number of the portraits we have noted with boys wearing skirted garments involve skirt/kilt outfits rather than one piece dresses. It is not always possible to tell wether boys are wearing skirts/kilts rather than dresses, but it often is possible. Kilt suits were especially popular in America. We note boys wearing various styles of dresses, but they seem less common than the kilt outfits. Boys in the early 19th centurywore dresses styled much like their sisters. By the late 19th century destinctive boys styles appeared. Not all mothers selected these styles, but it became increasingly common. Boy styles were more olain than those worn by girls. We note dresses made with defined waists and dresses made without waists.

Kilts and Kilt Suits

A substantial number of the portraits we have noted with boys wearing skirted garments involve skirt/kilt outfits rather than one piece dresses. It is not always possible to tell wether boys are wearing skirts/kilts rather than dresses, but it often is possible. Kilt suits were especially popular in America. A very popular outfit for younger boys in the late-19th century was the kilt suit. We have created a section on kilt suits and much of the information is about America where the style was most popular. We have a more limited section on American kilt suits. The kilts associated with kilt suits were almost always worn as suits. Ww note, however, a few images of boys wearing just the kilt skirts without the jacket and just a blouse. Actual Highland kilt outfits were less common, although boys from wealthy families like Franklin Roosevelt might wear them. While Highland outfits were not very common, they were worn. We even note one Highhland outfit that one mother seems to have brought home from London, only with kneepants rather than a kilt.

Dresses

We note boys wearing various styles of dresses, but they seem less common than the kilt outfits. Boys in the early 19th century wore dresses styled much like their sisters. This hreatly complicates our assessment because it is often difficult to tell if the child was a boy or girl. By the late 19th century destinctive boys styles appeared. Not all mothers selected these boy styles. Some boys were dressed in fancy dresses like their sisters. The boy dresses bu the late 19th century had become increasingly common. The most important destinctive feature was that boy styles were more plain than those worn by girls. There were a variety of dress styles worn by boys. One important feature was the waistline. We note dresses made with defined waists and dresses made without waists.

Created: 2:22 AM 5/2/2005
Last updated: 2:22 AM 5/2/2005