Figure 1.--This American cabinet card was taken about 1905. One of the boys is identified as Ray A. Davies [last nane indistincr. They lookto be about 12-13 years of age. we are not sure if the biys are brothers or friends. The boys wear clasic styles characteristic of the 1900s. They both wear flat caps, One wears a suit jcket, the other boys wears a turtle neck sweater. Both boys wear knee psnts with dark long stockings abd high-top shoes. .

Many of the older 19th Century clothes were worn in the 1900s, but several news styles appeared at the turn of the century. Clothing was still formal, but some more informal styles were appearing for children, especially boys. Boys wore a variety of skirted garments including dresses, skirts, kilts, tunics, smocks and pinafores in the 19th century. This had begun changing dramatically even before the turn of the 20th century. We still see some of these garments in the early-20th century, but the fashion of dressing yojunger boys in dresses had declined percipitously abd by the end of the decade wile it had noy=t disppeared, had dedeclined significantly. There were differences from country to country. Kilts were still wirn in scotlkanbd and to a lesser extent Englnd. and we see smocks in soime continental countries, especially for schoolwear. Tunics were popular in France and some Continental countries as well as America. A new fashion at the turn of the century was tunic suits. Boys wore several styles of tunics, Russian blouse, Buster Brown, and sailor tunics were the most common. A suit resembling the Russian blouse was the American Buster Brown tunic with wide starched collar and black silk scarf. Buster Brown was a popular, small hero of a Sunday newspaper serial which had quite a following among the youngsters. Caps coninued replacing hats as standard boys' headear. We notice several different popular styles. Boys continued wearing a range of shirt-like garments, including shirt-waists, shirts, blouses. Detachgaable collars were still common for boys whn dressing up. Sweaters emerged as a major garment for boys in the 1900s. Some of the most important changes involved pants and trousers. Boys now wore shorter pants and knee or three quarter length socks, somtimes white socks, in addition to long over-the-knee stockings. Older boys wore the new double breasted jackets, matching knee length pants, shirt, and tie. Girl's also expeienced major changes. Dresses were without the layers and layers of petticoats and were designed with straighter lines. Despite these important changes in children's clothing, there were no fundamental changes in their father's clothes. Adult men's dress during the first decade of the 20th century did not change. Men continued to wear a black frock coat with gray striped trousers for formal day wear and a black tailcoat and trousers with a white waistcoat for evening wear if ladies were present, although in America the tuxedo, or dinner, jacket became popular. We see a variety of juvenile suits that were popular for younger boys. Fauntleroy suits were still worn in the 1900s, but their popularity was declining. The lace collars of the 1880s and 90s were replaced with still large ruffled collars. The sailor suit continued to be a very populkar style. The older boys wore knee pants with tunic or short jacket and Norfolk styling was becomingcreasongly popular. Most boys wore suit jackets with knee pants and white shirts. Collar and tie accompanied the Norfolk outfit. Eton collars were considered esential for proper dress in England. The Eton style was standard, but we see many other collar styles. It was customary for American boys to adopt long trousers in their late teens. Hosiery varied. In America we see decade long) ribbed, black stockings as the standard hosiery. Girls and younger boys might wear white long stockings. We also see this in Europe, but this varied substanialy contry by country. English boys might wear knee socks., Long stockings were more common in northern Europe while three-quatrersicks were more common in the south. There were some seasonal and age/gender variations. Both boys and girls wore high-top, laced, shoes. This was standard in America and Europe. we see some low-cut oxfords in Europe. We note sandals for the first time, but they were not yet very important.

Skirted Garments

Boys wore a variety of skirted garments including dresses, skirts, kilts, tunics, smocks and pinafores in the 19th century. This had begun changing dramatically even before the turn of the 20th century. We still see some of these garments in the early-20th century, but the fashion of dressing yojunger boys in dresses had declined percipitously abd by the end of the decade wile it had noy=t disppeared, had dedeclined significantly. There were differences from country to country. Kilts were still wirn in scotlkanbd and to a lesser extent Englnd. and we see smocks in some continental countries, especially for schoolwear. Tunics were popular in France and some Continental countries as well as America. A new fashion at the turn of the century was tunic suits. Boys wore several styles of tunics, Russian blouse, Buster Brown, and sailor tunics were the most common. A suit resembling the Russian blouse was the American Buster Brown tunic with wide starched collar and black silk scarf. Buster Brown was a popular, small hero of a Sunday newspaper serial which had quite a following among the youngsters.

Headwear

Caps coninued replacing hats as standard boys' headear. We notice several different popular styles. Children and adults almost always wore head gear. The older miss wore youthful versions of grown-up fashions, securing the hat to the hair by means of a long, vicious looking hatpin instead of the chin-elastic of childhood. Boys generally wore sailor hats of various designs. Straw hats held on with elastic chin straps were still popular. The more modern styles of sailor caps worn by the various national navies also were adapted for boys. Boys also began wearing flat caps with peaks. One important fad appeared in in the 1900s was the straw boater hat.

Shirts and Blouses

Boys continued wearing a range of shirt-like garments, including shirt-wausts, shirts, blouses. Detachgaable collsrs were still common for boys whn dressing up.

Sweaters

Sweaters emerged as a major garment for boys in the 1900s.

Pants

Some of the most important changes involved pants and trousers. Boys now wore shorter pants and knee or three quarter length socks, somtimes white socks, in addition to long over-the-knee stockings. Older boys wore the new double breasted jackets, matching knee length pants, shirt, and tie. Girl's also expeienced major changes. Dresses were without the layers and layers of petticoats and were designed with straighter lines. Despite these important changes in children's clothing, there were no fundamental changes in their father's clothes. Adult men's dress during the first decade of the 20th century did not change. Men continued to wear a black frock coat with gray striped trousers for formal day wear and a black tailcoat and trousers with a white waistcoat for evening wear if ladies were present, although in America the tuxedo, or dinner, jacket became popular.

Juvenile Suits

We see a variety of juvenile suits that were popular for younger boys. Fauntleroy suits were still worn in the 1900s, but their popularity was declining. The lace collars of the 1880s and 90s were replaced with still large ruffled collars. The sailor suit continued to be a very populkar style.

Suits

The older boys wore knee pants with tunic or short jacket and Norfolk styling was becomingcreasongly popular. Most boys wore suit jackets with knee pants and white shirts. Collar and tie accompanied the Norfolk outfit. Eton collars were considered esential for proper dress in England. The Eton style was standard, but we see many other collar styles. It was customary for American boys to adopt long trousers in their late teens.

Hosiery

Hosiery varied. In America we see decade long) ribbed, black stockings as the standard hosiery. Girls and younger boys might wear white long stockings. We also see this in Europe, but this varied substantialy contry by country. English boys might wear knee socks., Long stovkings were more common in northern Europe while three-quatrer socks were more common in the south. There were some seasonal and age/gender variations.

Footwear

Boyth boys and girls wore high-top, laced, shoes. This was standard in America and Europe. we see some low-cut oxfords in Europe. We note sandals for the first time, but they were not yet very important.

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Created: 11:46 PM 3/15/2006
Last updated: 11:46 PM 3/15/2006