Figure 1.--This unidentified boy looks to be about 4 years old. He wears a colored tunic with scalloped trin on the large collar abd belt. We're not sure what color it would have been. He is pictured with a great pedal car. The portrait would have been taken about 1910. It is after the turn-of-the century we begin to see these casual images around the home althiugh this tunic looks to be a little dressy.

American tunic suits were worn as very utilitarian garments, both as adressy outfit for younger boy and a as casual wear around home and even for family outing where dressy clothes were not required. As far as we can tell this was the ordinary day to dayn garment for many boys around the home. Here there was a socaila class component, worn by middle-class boys much more than working-class boys. The photogaphic record can be misleading. Middle-class families were much more likely to have cameras and take picyures around the home. Of course this should be viewed in the context that clothing in the early-20th century was still more formal than later in the century. Play tunics would normally be simpler with out the fancy frills of dressy tunics and in sturdy easy to launder fabrics. This is interesting because until the appearance of tunic suits we do not really see play suits. Some tunic suits were quite inexpensive and made in basic materials. Children clothes were fairly standard and mothers used old clothes as play clothes for children. Girls would wear pinafores to protect their clothes. Some tunic suits were obviousdly made for dreessy occassions. Others could be wirn for dressy or play occassions. Generally studio poertraits show how the children would be dressed for dressy studio occassions. After the turn-of-the-20th century we begin to see many outdoor family snapshots. Some look rathrr dressy. The snapshot here is a good example (figure 1). Often he outfoot can be made to look dressy by working on the boy's hair and adding long stockings and dressy shoes. And motice how this ia a staged sanpshot with theboy done up a bit with his fancy new peddal car. This is not a play situation. Other snapshots do show boys in actual play situations or on outings with parents in which the tunics are being wotrn as casual garments. Most images we have found of boys wearing play tunics seem to be summer tunics. We are less sure what children wore for play during cold weather.

Ordinary Day-to-Day Garment

American tunic suits were worn as very utilitarian garments, both as adressy outfit for younger boy and a as casual wear around home and even for family outing where dressy clothes were not required. As far as we can tell this was the ordinary day to day garment for many boys around the home. Of course this should be viewed in the context that clothing in the early-20th century was still more formal than later in the century.
Social Class Component

Here there was a social class component, worn by middle-class boys much more than working-class boys. The photogaphic record can be misleading. Middle-class families were much more likely to have cameras and take pictures around the home.

Plain Garments

Play tunics would normally be simpler with out the fancy frills of dressy tunics and in sturdy easy to launder fabrics. This is interesting because until the appearance of tunic suits we do not really see play suits. Some tunic suits were obviousdly made for dreessy occassions. Others could be worn for dressy or play occassions. In the early-20th century when these garments were popular, launfry was still a major concern for maithers. After World War I we begin to nsee setergents and kaundry machines having a major imlpact on yhj lives of the hime maker.

Material

Some tunic suits were quite inexpensive and made in basic materials. Children clothes were fairly standard and mothers used old clothes as play clothes for children. More expensive tunics might be done in linnen. WEinter tunics were less common, but were done in wool.

Pinafores

Girls would wear pinafores to protect their clothes. This was for the most oart not the case for boys. The tinic was an inexpensivde play garment that could be easily washed makingg the pinafore unecessary. And we begin to see fewer girls with pinafores as well.

Photographic Record

Generally studio poertraits show how the children would be dressed for dressy studio occassions. After the turn-of-the-20th century we begin to see many outdoor family snapshots. Giving us views that were only rarely available in the 19th century. Some look rather dressy. The snapshot here is a good example (figure 1). Although here it looks to us that mothr has dressed up the boy for the photograph. Often the outfoot can be made to look dressy by working on the boy's hair and adding long stockings and dressy shoes. In this case long stockingd and sandals is a bit of an odd cvomination. And motice how this ia a staged sanpshot with the boy done up a bit so the bniy can show off his fancy new peddal car. This is not a play situation, but is a casual scene at home. Other snapshots do show boys in actual play situations or on outings with parents in which the tunics are being worn as casual garments.

Seasonality

Most images we have found of boys wearing play tunics seem to be summer tunics. We are less sure what younger children wore for play during cold weather.

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Created: 4:25 AM 7/28/2008
Last edited: 4:39 PM 7/12/2021