|
The tunic was a very basic garment. Except for the sleeves, it could not be more simple. Even so, we note tunics done in a wide range of differet styles. Much of the styling is commonly associate with the neck area. There were decoration and detailing in other aeas such as the sleeves, but the basic sgyling is largely determined by the collartreatment. This has varied over the wide chronological period in which tunics were worn. We know a great deal about the stylkes worn after the apperance of the CDV, about1860, but much less about the tunicvs worn earlier in the 19h century. we notice everal prominent styles, including Buster Brown, Fauntleroy, Russian blouses, sailor, vestee, and other styles. This is a little difficult to assess because in period catalogs the style of the tunic is often not indicated. A problem here is that the detailing and decoration can visually vewealm the basic style. While we Some of the styles are simple to identify, especially sailor and Fantlery tunics. Other styles are more complicated to identify. know a good deal about the styles worn in the late-19th and early-20th cntury, we know much less about the tunics worn earlier. As far as we can tell, there is little or not mention of styles in the tunics worn in the early-19th century. And catalogs were not common. We do notice what look like what might be called shirt tunics in Dags.
The Buster Brown suits appear to have been destinctively American term. We do not, however note a destinctive Buster Brown style. This seems to have mean a tunuic suitregardless of the actual style. Buster was a comic-strip category. His girl friend was Mary Jane.
We notice tunics with diagonal styling during the 1870s. They seem to have appeared in the late-1860s, but are quite common in the 70s. They were many different styles of these tunics, but the main theme is a basic diagonal cut across the front of the tunic. There seems o be a military influence. A styalized waist beklt is often employed. Buttons were often used in the detailing. These were tunic suis with matching pants, commonly knee pants. These tunics seem quite common and they are commonly represented in the photographic record. One thing we are not sure about is as a result of th black-and-white photography of the day is the color of these tunics. We also note this basic diagonal styling in Europe. We assume it was in fact a European import. American parents still commonly got basic fashion clues from Europe.
We note some sailor tunics thar mixed sailor styling with double-breasted styling. We have noted a few exmples. It was a dressy style, not done for play tunics. One examole is Louis Mortimer in 1908. We think it was more of a winter than a summer style.
There were no specific Fauntleroy tunic suits. One reason for this is at the height of the Fauntletoy Craze, the tunic had largely gone out of style. Then in the last few years, at the turn-of-the- 20th century, tunics suddenly became a major fashion item for younger boys. We are not yet sure just why this happened, but it is clear from the photographic record and period catalogs that suddenly boys began wearing tunic suits. And in the spirit of the day, some mothers began adding Fauntleroy trim to them. A good examople is the tunic suit worn by Ivan Eugene Perry in 1906-07. We see relatively few of these Fauntleroy tunics because just as the tunic became a major fashion item, the Fauntleroy Craze was ending.
The basic tunic did not have vertical front button closing like a jacket. TYhese might lso be clssified as collar-buttoning jackets, but the ppearance is more like a tunic. Many tuics had side buttoning and we see diagonal front buttoning, mostly in the 1870s, but vertical front buttoning was rare for tunics. We see tunics in the 19th century, but in the early 20th century they were particularly popular (1900-20). They were done in a wide variety of styles and were worn for both play and dressy occassions. As the popularity of the tunic began to play out in the late-1910s we begin to see some front-buttoning tunics in styles that rather merge with jackets. They looked like tunics, but were actually front buttoning jackets. The age range was basically the same as tunics. Older boys wore standard suits with front-buttoning jackets. We only see a small number of these suits as in the 1920s, tunics quickly went out of fashion and boys began wearing actual standard suits.
The Russian blouse tunic was another popular style. The Russia blouse that boys begam wearing was a high-tight neck ban with no notice able collar. A radical change from the large Fauntleroy collar that was so popular. Some sources suggest that Russian fashions began having an impact on Western fashions in the late-19th century, primarily in France. After the Revolution we see a large Russuian emigre populatiion in France, but we see nthing like this in the klate-19th century. Here the reference is to women's fashions. We can not confirm that, but perhaps readers might have sonme insights. What we can confirm is the sudden popularity of the Russian blouse popularity at the turn-of-the 20th century. We are not sure why this style all of a sudden became popular. We know of no developments in Russia at the time that would have caused a suddenn exploson of Russian styles in the West. This seems to have been style more popular in Europe, but we see quite a few in America as well. A good example is Wisconsin boy, 5-year old Dayton Sizer Jr.. Genrally these Fauntleroy blouse tunuivvs are plain without uch decoration and deailing. Mother has added a diagonal ellement with flower embroidery. Another example is Illinois boy, 5-year old Hewlett Lindsley in 1910.
The sailor style was the most popular style of tunic in the United States. Some tunics like the one
seen here does not seem to fit into any specific style, but is in fact a fancy sailor tunic. Sailor collars had the prominent "V" front and back flap and were very popular. Many had other features of sailor styling. Other sailor tunics only had the basic "V" feature. There were substantial variations in the styling of the sailor tunics. Some were done with traditional styling or some resemlance to it. We also note sailor tunics done with elaborate lace and ruffle trim. These tunics were of course dressy garments reserved for special occassions. They wee often made in larger sizes than the other tunic styles. Russian blouse tunic did no have collars. Buster Brown tunics had a wide white collar. Many tunics had prominent belts. They were oramental without any real purpose.
We do notice what look like what might be called shirt tunics in Dags. This means they were worn in the 1849s and 50s. We are not sure about the 1830s, but rarely see them in the 60s. They were often done in bright patterns like plaids. They were cut like shirts, buttoning up the front, but almost always worn with belts.
We note some boys with tunic suits that look somewhat like vests (waistciats in Brit English). They had front-buttoning V-fronts, but without sailor styling or suit jacket lapels. We will call them vestee suits for want of a better term. We have no idea what they were called at the time. The younger brother here wears a vestee tunic (figure 1). A good example is an unidentified boy, we think in the 1910s. They were worn with dickies like sailor styled tunics.
We see some tunics That are a little difficult to assess, primarily because of the way that the boy is posed, so that we can not clearly see the tunic. Sometimes is is the quality of the images. Other times the now or neckwear cover up the tunics. More commonly, however, it is that we do not get a good look at the tunic. We archive the iamges here, hoping that readers may have some insights.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main American tunic characteristic page]
[Return to the Main American tunic page]
[Return to the Main American sailor outfit page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
