American Blouse Fabric Patterns: Plaid


Figure 1.--The unidentified American boy here wears a plaid blouse. Notice that the plaid pattern here is accentuated with a solid-colored collar and matching cuffs. In his right hand you can see a photo within a photo, of himself in a Lord Faunterloy outfit & with a terrier type dog. Unfortunaterly we do not have that pprtrait as well. We are unsure how to date the portrait, but would guess about 1890. The cabinent mount is a little unusual. The studio is Bacon in Rochester, New York.

We have also noted plaid blouses in America. This was one of the patterns used for blouses, including Fauntleroy blouses. They do not seem to have been particularly common, but we have noted several. They were done in different shades and colors. We are not sure what colors were usually worn. Of course we can not determine the colors from black-and-white photography. We notice both light and dark blouses. Notice that the plaid blouse here is accebnted with a solid-colored collar and matching cuffs (figure 1). One might think that they would be worn with kilts or kiltsuit, but this does not seem to hsve been the case. We think that they were mostly worn wihout any kind of suit jackets. The examples we have found show boys wearing then without jackers with dark-colored knee pants. This often seems to be the case with pattern blouses in general , but seems to have been especially true of plaid blouses. They were often worn with plain-colored bows. We do not know if they were worn by boys in other countries. All of our examples are American. We also do not know if there were gender conventions. We have not yet noted girls wearing them. Girls did wear blouses and skirts, but dresses were more common--especially in formal portraits.

Prevalence

We have also noted plaid blouses in America. This was one of the patterns used for blouses, including Fauntleroy blouses. They do not seem to have been particularly common, but we have noted several.

Chronology

We do not yet have a detailed chronology of plaid blouses, but we are compiling some basic information. We know nothing about the early-19th century at this time. As a result of the invention of photography, we notice some plaid blouses at mid-century. These are difficult to date as most Daguerreotyoes are undated. Thus we can not yet prove they were worn in the 1840s, althouh we think they wsere. (This would mean that they may have been worn earlier.) We know they were worn in the 1850s, but they do not seem common in the 1860s. We do not see plaid blouses again until the Fauntleroy ruffled blouses became popular in the 1890s. We do not notice plaid blouses after the 1900s, but we do notice plaid shirts at least by the 1940s--I wore one.

Shades

These plaid blouses were done in different shades and colors. We are not sure what colors were usually worn. Of course we can not determine the colors from black-and-white photography. We notice both light and dark blouses. Notice that the plaid blouse here is accebnted with a solid-colored collar and matching cuffs (figure 1).

Accompanying Clothes

One might think that they would be worn with kilts or kiltsuit, but this does not seem to have been the case. We are not entirely sure about the blouses worn at mid-century. We know much more the Fauntleroy blouses that became popular in the late-19th century. We think that they were mostly worn wihout any kind of suit jackets. The examples we have found show boys wearing then without jackets with dark-colored knee pants. This often seems to be the case with pattern blouses in general, but seems to have been especially true of plaid blouses.

Bows

They were often worn with plain-colored bows. Like Fauntleroy blouses in general, the oplaid blouses were worn both with and without floppy bows.

Country Trends

We do not know if they were worn by boys in other countries. All of our examples are American.

Gender

We also do not know if there were gender conventions. We have not yet noted girls wearing them. Girls did wear blouses and skirts, but dresses were more common--especially in formal portraits.








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Created: 11:09 PM 2/13/2008
Last updated: 10:57 PM 7/24/2009