Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows two unidentified brothers from Marshalltown, Iowa. The boys look to be wearing plaid dresses, but notice the matching longish kneepants. So these are clearly tunics. While difficuklt to see, there is aisgonal buttoning closure. This tunic styling was very common in the 1870s. Notice the unusual stockings, almost certainly home knitted. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1870. The studio was W.H. Elliott.

Some readers have written to ask when studying tunic suits, what the difference between a tunic and a dress was. Well of course both tunics and dresses were both skirted garments and thus there were some similarities. And some dresses do look similar to tunics, especially plain dresses. There are several guidelines which can be used. these are not always perfect indicators, but strong are very strong characteristics differentiaring the two garments. First, tunics were only worn by boys. This helps differente the garments worn by girls, but of course niot by boys. Second, the sleeve style is very important. Tunics were usually made with long sleeves. Dresses might have long sleeves, but there were many other sleeve types that were common. Third, tunics always had necklines around the actual neck. Dresses on the other habnd had many varied neclikes, including low necklines. Fourth, tunics commonly had side ior front buttoning. Dresses very commonly were back buttoning. Fifth, tunics did not have back bows which many dresses did. Sixth, tunics were often worn as tunic suits, mening they were dine with matching pants (including long pants, straight-keg knee pants, or bloomer knickers). This was very common in the early-19th century and after mid-century. Dresses on the other hand were not done with pants or trousers. The complication herre is that in the 19th century they were often worn with pantalettes. They are often easy to descriminate as they often had frills and were dine in white. Plain colored pantalettes are, however, somewhat to differebtiate with pants.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main American tunic garment page]
[Return to the Main American tunic page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Created: 11:40 PM 8/4/2011
Last edited: 11:41 PM 8/4/2011