Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified American boy wearing a dress, probably in the 1890s. Note the locket. Most portraits of boys wearing lockets show them wearing dresses.

The locket is generally see as a girl's jewelry item, but we see some younger boys wearing them in the photographic record. The wearing of lockets by boys seems strongly associated with dresses boys worn before breeching. We see boys wearing lockets with dresses, skirts, tunics, kilts and other skirted garments. Our archive is till limited, but this seems to be the case as regards the portraits that we have so far collected. This seems to have been a jewelry item for boys, but only before they were breeched. After breeching we rarely see boys with lockets. Hair was more varied. We see boys wearing lockets both before and after their curls were cut.

Dresses

HBC has noted that many young children wearing dresses also wore lockets. This includes boys and girls. Interestingly, only boys not yet breeched wore lockets--at least visibly. Most of the images we have found of boys wearing lockets show them wearing drsses. So far this is a relatively small number of images, but almost all show the boys wearing dresses. HBC believes that lockets were commonly worn--but other pendants or neckasses might also have been worn. HBC has no information on what was worn in the lockets, perhaps a photograph of mother.

Tunic

We do note boys wearing lockets with tunic suits, mostly fancy tunic suits. This is a bit of a complivation. We are not entirely sure if this constitutes breeching as the boys wore bloomer knickers under their tunics. Note tht yunics became very popular at the turn of the century at the time that the convention of younger boys wearing dresses.

Boyish outfits

Once a boy was breeched and began wearing kneepants or trousers, he no longer wore his locket. This as the case regardless of the outfit worn, Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, or other outfits.

Created: 5:29 PM 3/8/2009
Last updated: 5:29 PM 3/8/2009