Figure 1.--This Argentine First Communion portrait is dated May 12, 1971. The boys name was Adrian. Also written on the portrait is L de Zamore. Earlier than this boys would have worn suits for formal portraits. This unidentified boy here wears what looks like a standard white shirt and sleeve bow with a white tie. They were popular for First Communion. He also looks to be wearing standard grey school shorts. Also notice the rosary and prayer book.

We have begin to develop chronological information on Argentine First Communions. We do not yet know much about the 19th century, especially the early-19th century. By the late-19h century we see Argentine boys dressing up in dark suits for their First Communions. We see both knee pants and long pants suits. We know much more about the 20th century. We still see dark suits in the early-20th century. We see some sailor suits. Other boys wear formal Eton collars. After World War I we begin to see somw white suits, including white sailor suits. Sailor suits do not seem as common in Argentina as they were in Europe. We see boys wearing both long pnts and short pants suits. First Communions were often organized a school. Here the class would dress alike for the occasion. White suits seem to have been very popular in the 1950s and 60s. By the late 60s we begin to see less formality. Some boys did not wear suits, but rather hite shirts and dress pants. By the 1980s, fancy suits had become increasingly less common for the boys. Girls continued to wear the junior wedding dresses. One boy at a Catholic school reports wearing the school uniform with a blue blazer or suit coat instead of the smock and a big white flower attached on our left arm. I wore a white short sleeve shirt, blue tie, grey short pants, blue knee socks, black high-fronted shoes and a blue blazer. Another reader reports that when he took his first holy communion, he ws already in secondary school so he wore long pants. Styles changed significantly by the 1980s. Eton suits were gone and white suits no longer common. Boys that could afford to dress up for the occasion mostly wore dark subdued colored suits, grey, dark grey, brown, dark brown. Some boys wore their school uniforms. Wew also see boys with just shirts and ties and not suits.

The 19th Century

We have begin to develop chronological information on Argentine First Communions. We do not yet know much about the 19th century, especially the early-19th century. By the late-19h century we see Argentine boys dressing up in dark suits for their First Communions. We see both knee pants and long pants suits. Our 19th century Argentine photogeaphic archice, however, is very limited.

The 20th Century

We know much more about the 20th century. We still see dark suits in the early-20th century. We see some sailor suits. Other boys wear formal Eton collars. The suits were often knee pants worn with long stockings. After World War I we begin to see somw white suits, including white sailor suits. Sailor suits do not seem as common in Argentina as they were in Europe. We see boys wearing both long pnts and short pants suits. Short pants suits were often worn with knee socks. First Communions were often organized a school. Here the class would dress alike for the occasion. White suits seem to have been very popular in the 1950s and 60s. By the late 60s we begin to see less formality. Some boys did not wear suits, but rather hite shirts and dress pants. By the 1980s, fancy suits had become increasingly less common for the boys. Girls continued to wear the junior wedding dresses. One boy at a Catholic school reports wearing the school uniform with a blue blazer or suit coat instead of the smock and a big white flower attached on our left arm. I wore a white short sleeve shirt, blue tie, grey short pants, blue knee socks, black high-fronted shoes and a blue blazer. Another reader reports that when he took his first holy communion, he ws already in secondary school so he wore long pants. Styles changed significantly by the 1980s. Eton suits were gone and white suits no longer common. Boys that could afford to dress up for the occasion mostly wore dark subdued colored suits, grey, dark grey, brown, dark brown. Some boys wore their school uniforms. Wew also see boys with just shirts and ties and not suits.

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Created: 12:26 AM 4/30/2008
Last edited: 2:33 AM 8/22/2015