Figure 1.--The angry red haired boy towering over his foe (who presumably was cheating at their game of marbles) seems to finer dressed and from a higher class. Whilst the boy in the middle wearing a smock is trying to diffuse the situation, a little girl or boy (no doubt a younger sibling) wearing a pinafore hurries off look for mother. HBC is not sure how to date this painting, but would guess about 1850. This painting, "Ready to Fight" is by William Bromley. We are not sure about the date, but would guess about 1850. Nortice the boys are all wearing long trousers.

Smocks continued to be worn by English agricultural laborers and city workers in the mid-19th century. The same factors such as the cost of clothing and the drugery of laundry continued to make the smock a practical workman's garment, although we begin to notice it less after the 1850s than in the first half of the 19th century. Some paintings suggest that smocks were worn by some English children during the mid-19th Century. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Dresses becamge shorter by the 1840s, but were commonly worn with pantalettes. We have not yet noted any paintings or photographs of children wearing smocks with pantalettes, but presimably few children would have worn an informal smock for a portarit. We have also seen some indication that younger children wore smock and pinafores to school. We are not yet sure, however, how common it was and what age boy would wear smocks and pinafores. We do note some images of older boys in rural areas wearing the same style of smocks worn by their fathers. It is possible that some boys may have worn such smocks to school, but by the time we begin to see school photography in n numbers, we do not see this (1870s). There is a complication in assessing smocks in that boys also wore tunics at mid-century. And it is difficult in some images to tell if the boys are wearing a smock or a tunic.

Working Men

Smocks continued to be worn by English agricultural laborers and city workers in the mid-19th century. The same factors such as the cost of clothing and the drugery of laundry continued to make the smock a practical workman's garment, although we begin to notice it less after the 1850s than in the first half of the 19th century.

Paintings and Photogrphs

Paintings are our major source of information on fashion during the early-19th century. Most paintings were portraits, commonly showing people in their finest clothing. The one source of useful fashion imagery is genre painting like the Bronlery painting here (figure 1). These paintings suggest that smocks were worn by some English children during the mid-19th Century. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Photography was invented (1839), but what we see at first are portraits in which motheres dressed up their children in rheir best clothes. We thus do not see the more informal styles such as smocks. And mid-century photography was much less common in England as in America. By the time the family snapshot appeared in numbers at the turn-of-the 20th century, few boys were wearing smocks. Thus the two most important sources of dasghion imagery may not accurately depict the prevalence of smocks at mid-century.

Pantalettes

Dresses becamge shorter by the 1840s, but were commonly worn with pantalettes. We have not yet noted any paintings of children wearing smocks with pantalettes. This is in part because school age children commonly wore long pants at mid-century.

Prevlence

e are not at all sure about the prevalence of mocks in mid-19th century. Presimably as discussed bove, few children would have worn an informal smock for a portarit even if they wore smocks at home for every day wear. We have also seen some indication that younger children wore smock and pinafores to school. We are not yet sure, however, how common it was and what age boy would wear smocks and pinafores. We do note some images of older boys in rural areas wearing the same style of smocks worn by their fathers. It is possible that some boys may have worn such smocks to school, but by the time we begin to see school photography in any numbers, we do not see this (1870s).

Usage

There is a complication in assessing smocks in that boys also wore tunics at mid-century. And it is difficult in some images to tell if the boys are wearing a smock or a tunic. Some images at mid-century are not as clear as later imagery. Smocks were a protective garment while tunics while plain were not prorecting the clothes worn underneath. Although the tunic was seen as a school garment, erhapless exprensive thn a suit jacket. This may provide some clues as to whether we are looking at a smock or tunic. Unfortunately so few photographs were taken outside the studio, but they are a few. Interestngly, while there is a much larger American hotographic record in the mid-19th century, there do seem to be more British photographs taken outside the studio. We arenot sure why. We notice one tin-type of an unientified family about to take a boat ride. We think the children may be wearing smocks rather than tunics.

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Created: January 16, 2001
Last updated: 5:48 AM 1/29/2018