Figure 1.--This cabinet card shows an unidentified Australian boy riding a Irish Mail (hand bush cart). He wears a sailor-styled tunic. Tunics were also popular in America, but never worn with knee socks. The portrait is undated. The dealer estimates it was taken about 1905. which seems about right or perhaps a few years later. The boy also has mid-length ringlet curls. The photographer was Hooper's Studio in Adelieid.

We notice Australian boys wearing a varierty of skirted garments. Australian boys like English and other European boys in the 19th century commonly wore dresses until breeched at about 5 years of age. This varied smewhat from family to family and socio-economic factors had an impact on the age of breeching. HBC is not sure if this was more or less common in Australia than England, but the same style of dresses were worn. We still have, however, only limited information on the dresses worn by Australian boys. Pinafores were worn in Australia, much like the pattern in England. HBC has few details, but clothing catalogs at the turn of the 19th century mentioned both childrens and girls pinafores. This suggests, of course, that younger boys and girls both wore pinafores and because they were identical they were sold as children's pinafores. The available advetisment from Lasseters unfortunately lists prices, but not ages and sizes. Smocks do not appear to have been commonly worn in Australia. We have little information about the 19th century. We note an Australian whose family emifrated to Australia I think in the 1940s from Italy ran into trouble when his mother sent him to school in a checked smock with a bug blue bow. British immigration to Australia began to reach significant levels in the mid-19th century. Thus the tunics worn in England during the early 20th century had little imapct on Australia as there was not yey any substantial English population. This was different by the turn of the 20th century. We note some boys wearing tunic suits at this time. The style follows English styles. We do not know how common these suits were in Australia.

Dresses

Australian boys like English and other European boys in the 19th century commonly wore dresses until breeched at about 5 years of age. This varied smewhat from family to family and socio-economic factors had an impact on the age of breeching. HBC is not sure if this was more or less common in Australia than England, but the same style of dresses were worn. We still have, however, only limited information on the dresses worn by Australian boys.

Kilts

Australian boys do not appear to have widely worn kilts. The kilt was, however, a dressup outfit for younger boys in the 19th century. We see a few boys wearing kilts. Unlike America, ghis seems more the Highland kilt dtyles than the kilt suit styldes with out the Higkland regalia. This is what we primarily see in America. We are not entirely sure how to interpret this. Australia was part of the Scottish diaspora in the late-18th and 19th centuries. There was, however, a substantial Irish and Scottish migration to New Zealand and many Ausralians and Kiwis trace their ancestry back to both countries. Scotts were, however, a relatively small part ofthe ummigrants. Scotland is a small country compared to England, perhaps aarger percebntagfe immigatred, but still the immigrants were mostly English. Boys wearing Highland outfits we believe were primarily boys from Scottish-immigrant families. The kilt suit on the otherr habd was widely worn by boys with notv cottish heritage. It was an impoerabt style for bouys in England and even more so in America--boys with no connection to Scotland. While Australian boys' fashions were largely English fashions, the kiltv suit was an English fashion that did not transmit to any extent to Australia. But there definitely was an imoacr. Sione schools have pipe bands and there are annual Highland gatherings in which kilts are worn. There are also Irish Feises in which kilted dancers perform.

Pinafores

Pinafores were worn in Australia, much like the pattern in England. HBC has few details, but clothing catalogs at the turn of the 19th century mentioned both childrens and girls pinafores. This suggests, of course, that younger boys and girls both wore pinafores and because they were identical they were sold as children's pinafores. The available advetisment from Lasseters unfortunately lists prices, but not ages and sizes.

Smocks

Smocks do not appear to have been commonly worn in Australia. We have little information about the 19th century. We note an Australian whose family emifrated to Australia I think in the 1940s from Italy ran into trouble when his mother sent him to school in a checked smock with a bug blue bow.

Tunics

British immigration to Australia began to reach significant levels in the mid-19th century. Thus the tunics worn in England during the early 20th century had little imapct on Australia as there was not yet any substantial English population. This was different by the turn of the 20th century. We note some boys wearing tunic suits at this time. The style follows English styles. We do not know how common these suits were in Australia.

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Crerated: 4:42 AM 8/22/2017
Last updated: 11:10 PM 2/8/2023