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Pants that did match jackets were quite common in the 1840s and 1850s and this convention was still common at the onset of the 60s. Most, but not all boys in the 1850s wore jackets and vests that did not match their pants. Some did, but most did not. We still see that with the cut-away jackets that appeared in the early-60s. The boy on the previous page is a good example. This is seems rather strange. You would think that it bwas only natutral that the jacket, bests, and pants should match, especially as they were often purchased at the same time. In fact thev very idea of a suit is now matching item, a convention that sid not exist in the first half of the 19th century. But for what ever reason, they often did not. There is very obvious from the photographic record. And the relative prevaklrnce in the photographic record is probably a good indicator of actual prevalence. This began to change in the early-1860s. And as is so often the case in fashion histiory, we have no idea why this change took place. And who was resoponsible. Unfirtunately because so few images are dated, it is difficult to follow the developing fashions trends with any precission. We hink the boy here was photographed in the early-60s, but we cannot be positive (figure 1). Not all boys had matching suit items in the early-60s, but it was becoming more common and by the end of the decade it was by far the most common convention. It would be almost universal by the 70s. Here we are not only taslking about the pants, but the vests as well. In fact it was stylish to have vests that contrasted sharply with the jackets. We note boys wearing pants that matched the jackets and some that didn't match. This changed during the decade. We notice most boys in the 60s had maching pants, but there quite a number of boys with pants that didn't match, especially in the early 60s.
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