Figure 1.--This drawing from a 1842 French fashion magazin shows a boy wearing a tunic with long pants in a contrasting color. Note the lace collar on the boys tunic. This is very similar to a tunic we noted in 1818, alhough the apants are different.

The most important accompanying garment with for tunics was the pants that were worn with them and this varied orer time. We have only little information on the pants worn with these tunics in the early and mid-19th century. Tunics at the beginning of the 19th century were worn with either fancy or plain pantalettes (younger boys) or long trousers (older boys). Boys at the time were wearing long-pants skeleton suits. We believe that younger boys wore pantalettes with tunic suits. This was not the case with skeleton suits because the pants were part of the suit. Without photogrphy creatingblargevnumbrs of images, it is difficult to assess this in detail. There are far fewrer painted portraits compared to photography. When the boys were a little older they began wearing long pants. We have little written information, however, pantalettes may have also be considered dressy, formal wear. Tunics at the beginning of the 19th century were worn with either fancy or plain pantalettes (younger boys) or long trousers (older boys). We see tunic suits in the early-19th century with long pants. But without photogrphy, there are only a few painted portraits. We also note long pants being worn through the 1850s. We note both baggy long pants looking rather like plain knickers as well tight trousers. We begin to see what looks like tunic suits with the CDVs of the 1860s. Why they are rare earlier we are not do sure. We think it may relate to the rarity of early photography in Europe (Dags abd Ambros) compared to America. After mid-century boys began wearing bloomer knickers. We also see boys by the 1860s wore pantalettes with tunics, but not as commomly as in the early part of the century. We have much more information about these outfits at the turn of the 20th century, but more on the tunics than the pants. Some of these outfits like Buster Brown suits were actually called suits. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. We have much more information about these outfits at the turn of the 20th century, but more on the tunics than the pants. Some of these outfits like Buster Brown suits were actually called suits. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee. Some were more like straight-leg knee pants. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. Some contemprary fashion writers referred to the pants worn with tunic suits as bloomers. The destinguishing feature of these pants is that usually bloused at the leg with elastic gathering rather than having buttons or buckles like proper knickers. Some of the tunics may have been worn with knee pants, but the blouceing effect was much more common. The pants were very plain, almost never with any notable detailing. There were several different types of tunics (Buster Brown, Russian, sailor, and others), but there were no special type of pants assocaited with these different styles. I am not sure if these had pockets or other features.

The 18th Century

We note boys wearing long pants with tunics in the early-19th century. This is when boys were also wearing long pamts skeleton suits. Just when tunics first appeared we are not sure. But we have not yet found 18th century examples.

The 19th Century

The most important accompanying garment worn with for tunics was the pants that were worn with them and this varied over time. The prevalence of these types varied with the age of the boy and also chronogically as fashion comventions changed. We have only little information on the pants worn with these tunics in the early-19th century. We noted boys in the early 19th century wearing both long pantalettes and long pants with their tunics. Tunics at the beginning of the 19th century were worn with either fancy or plain pantalettes (younger boys). We have little written information, however, pantalettes may have also be considered dressy, formal wear. When the boys were a little older they began wearing long pants. Commonly this was the younger boys that had just been breeched, but some older boys also wore pantalettes as well. Boys at the time were wearing long-pants skeleton suits. We believe that younger boys wore pantalettes with tunic suits. This was not the case with skeleton suits because the pants were part of the suit. Without photogrphy creatingblargevnumbrs of images, it is difficult to assess this in detail. There are far fewer painted portraits compared to photography. When the boys were a little older they began wearing long pants. We have little written information, however, pantalettes may have also be considered dressy, formal wear. Tunics at the beginning of the 19th century were worn with either fancy or plain pantalettes (younger boys) or long trousers (older boys). We see tunic suits in the early-19th century with long pants. But without photogrphy, there are only a few painted portraits. We also note long pants being worn through the 1840s and 50s. We note both baggy long pants looking rather like plain knickers as well tight trousers. TWe see both baggy and close-fitting long panrs at mid-century. Some were the same color as the tunic itself. Other were white or other contrasting colors. We note the boys in the Paul Kessler-Trümpi family wearing baggy trousers in 1840. The French boy here wears rather tight-fitting trousers in 1842 (figure 1). At mid-century boys began wearing bloomer knickers, but we notice them with fancy suits more than tunic suits. We note both baggy long pants looking rather like plain knickers as well tight trousers. Some contemprary fashion writers referred to the pants worn with tunic suits as bloomers. The destinguishing feature of these pannts is that usually bloused at the leg hem with elastic gathering rather than having buttons or buckles like proper knickers. Some of the tunics may have been worn with knee pants, but the bloucing effect was much more common after the 1850s. We begin to see what looks like tunic suits with the CDVs of the 1860s. Why they are rare earlier we are not do sure. We think it may relate to the rarity of early photography in Europe (Dags abd Ambros) compared to America. After mid-century boys began wearing bloomer knickers. We also see boys by the 1860s wore pantalettes with tunics, but not as commonly as in the early part of the century. We see fewer tunic suits by the 1870s.

The 20th Century

We have noted boys wearing different types of pants with tunics: pantalettes, long pants, knee pants, and bloomer knickers. By the 20th century we only see knee pants and bloomer knickers. We have much more information about these outfits after the turn of the 20th century with the addition of the family snapshot to the mostly studio photography of the 191th century. Burwe have more informatiom the tunics than the pants becusre thevtunics cobered most of the pants which were all shortened-lengyth pants, by the 20th century. The tunics had becvome popular again in the late-19th century, mostly in the late-1890s. Most of our information comes from the years after the turn-of-the 20th century. Some of these outfits like Buster Brown suits were actually called suits. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. We have much more information about these outfits at the turn of the 20th century, but more on the tunics than the pants. The pants were usually knicker length which bloused at the knee--bloomer knickers. Some were more like straight-leg knee pants. Some were worn above the knee, but they were also worn below the knee as well. Some contemprary fashion writers referred to the pants worn with tunic suits as bloomers. The destinguishing feature og these pants is that usually bloused at the leg with elastic gathering rather than having buttons or buckles like proper knickers. Some of the tunics may have been worn with knee pants, but the bloucing effect was much more common. The pants were very plain, almost never with any notable detailing. There were several different types of tunics (Buster Brown, Russian, sailor, and others), but there were no special type of pants assocaited with these different styles. I am not sure if these had pockets or other features.

Created: June 29, 2002
Last updated: 12:18 AM 2/17/2022