Figure 1.--This unidentified American boy had a CDV portrait taken in the 1860s. He looks to be about 7-years old. It is a matching suit with a long belted tunic and long pants. Matching suits like this were not very common in the 1850s. Curiously we do not see a belt buckle. He has a small white collar as was popular at the time and a ribbon bow. Of special interest is the matching peaked cap, a very early example in America. We are not sure about the color, perhaps a light grey or brown. The studio was S.W. Sawyer in Bangor, Maine.

A tunic suit had three basic garments, the tunic and the trousers. In a few rare examples there was matching headwear, but this was not very common. As most of these outfits were made by seamsresses or mothers, thus was possible if the mothers so choose. Some tunics had trousers matching the tunics, others did not. Matching tunic suits were not very common in the 1850s, but in the 60s they were. The tunic itself as might be expected was the most important part of a tunic suit. The tunics tended to be longer than those we see in the 1850s. And they were increasingly done in suiting matrial. Many 1850s tunics look more like long shirts. This was not very common in the 1860s, especially after the early-60s. Tunic tend to become rather palin, much like suit jackets. The tunics were mostly belted, the belt having no practical function. Some tunics had trousers matching the tunics, others did not. Matching tunic suits were not very common in the 1850s, but in the 60s they were. We note Henry Jarvis wearing a checked tunic and plain pants. And we note J.? Bartlett, a San Franciso boy, wearing a plaid tunic and checked pants. The CDV portrait is undated, but looks like the 1860s to us. Suits with matching jackets and pants became much more common in the 1860s than the 50s. We believe that the same convention developed for tunics. Most tunic suits seem to have been made with bloomer knickers or long pants based on the photographic record. The bloomer knickers were worn with white long stockings. These knicker pants seem much less common with other outfits, especially for older boys.

The Headwear

In a few rare examples there was matching headwear, but this was not very common. As most of these outfits were made by seamsresses or mothers, thus was possible if the mothers so choose. The boy hee had a matching cap, an eraly example of a peaked cap (figur 1).Most mothers simply bought the headwear separately. Headwear styles varied including both caps and hats. We are not sure what styles were most important as many of the available portraits do not include the headwear.

The Tunics

The tunic itself as might be expected was the most important oart of a tunic suit. The tunics tended to be longer than those we see in the 1850s, although we do see some shorter tunics as well. And they were increasingly done in suiting material. Many 1850s tunics look more like long shirts. This was not very common in the 1860s, especially after the early-60s. Tunic tend to becviome rather plain, much like suit jackets. A few were done with decorative trim. The tunics were mostly belted, the belt having no practical function as can be seen in the image here (figure 1). A good example is 9-year old Tom K. Christie. Notice the diagonal styling that became popular in the mid-1860s. Another example is 5-year old Russel Parsons in 1869. The tunics in the 1860s extended down to thigh length. Some of the ones worn by younger boys reached down to just above the knee. Mother probably intended for them to be worn several years.

The Trousers

All American boys wore pants of some kind with tunics. Some tunics had trousers matching the tunics, others did not. Matching tunic suits were not very common in the 1850s, but in the 60s they were. We note Henry Jarvis wearing a checked tunic and plain pants. And we note J.? Bartlett, a San Franciso boy, wearing a plaid tunic and checked pants. The CDV portrait is undated, but looks like the 1860s to us. Suits with matching jackets and pants became much more common in the 1860s than the 50s. We believe that the same convention developed for tunics. Most tunic suits seem to have been made with bloomer knickers or long pants based on the photographic record. e also see kneepants. The bloomer knickers were worn with white long stockings. These knicker pants seem much less common with other outfits, especially for older boys. These pants seem much less common with other outfits. They were worn with both long pants and bloomer knicker pants which extended below the knee, often well below the knee. Th bloomer knickers varied quite a bit. Some were cut vert full and long. Others were a moe snug fit and cut tighter. Here we see no standard conventions. The bloomer knickers were often worn with white stockings in the 60s (figure 1). The age range for the bloomer knickers seems quite wide, but most seem to be pre-teens. We think long pants may have been the most common, but we are still asessing this as our archive expands.

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Created: 2:12 AM 3/12/2007
Last edited: 9:32 PM 1/7/2014