Figure 1.--Here we have four unidentified children from Sarina, Ontario, a town close to the U.S. border. Their mother believe in diversity. Often boys close in age were dressed alike. The three boys wear classic juvenile outfits. They include a Fauntleroy suit, a tunic, and a Highland kilt outfit. We can not tell if the Funtleroy outfirt is atunic suit. The Highland outfit is complete with Glengary cap and eagle feather. Note the classic Eton collar. The gir wears a white dress with white long stockings. They look to be about 3-10 years of age. The portrait is undated, but look like the 1900s to us.

We notice Canadian boys wearing a variety of Skirted garments. This was a common convention in both Europe and the United States. dting back centuries. It was prevlnt in Canada in the 19th century and even into the early-20th century. Mny children wore skirted garments until they were breched, most as pre-school boys. The age of breeching varied from family to family. Here social class differences were important, affecting somewhat the age of breeching. Much of it was up to the fashion proclivities of the mother. Skirted garments include dresses, skirts, kilts, pinafores, smocks, and tunics. Canadian boys like boys in America and Europe wore dresses when they were young during the 19th and early 20th century. We have few specific details on this convention in Canada, but beliece it was little different than the practice in America and Britain. As far as we know the chronology, styles, and ages as well as social class conventions were comparable. We do not know if there were any differences among the French community. There is a substantial Scottish influence in Canada. The Maritime Provinces, especially Nova Scotia have the most obvious Scottish influence, but even French Montreal has significnt Scottish influence. One report indivates that at least some boys in Nova Scotia wore kilts during the 19th century. This appears to have been the case for sone boys whose fathers were soldiers in St. Johns. HBC does not know, however, how common this was, either for soldiers' families or for the population in general. We note stores at the turn of the 20th century were offering essentially the same styles as Ametican stores, including kilt suits, fancy blouses, and Fauntleroy suits. We note Canadian boys wearing tunic suits in the early 20th century. They seem rather similar to the suits worn in America, commonly with belts. The tunic seemed less popular in Britain at the time. We notice Canadian boys wearing tunic suits done in the sailor style. HBC has wondered just how influential French fashions were in Canada, especially amomg French Canadians. As far as HBC can determine, French Canadian boys never wore smocks at home or at school as was common for French boys.

Dresses

Canadian boys like boys in America and Europe wore dressed when they were young during the 19th and early 20th century. We have few specific details on this convention in Canada. It was, however, a very common convention throughout Europe in the 19th century as well as the United States. We suspect that the conventions as well as the styles in Canada were little different than the practice in America and Britain. As far as we know the chronology, styles, and ages as well as social class conventions were comparable. We do not know if there were any differences among the French community. We have found a portrait of a Montreal boy, probably in the 1880s. We note another impage of a Toronto child, but we are not sure if the child is a boy or girl. Our archive is still very limited, but we hope to develop the topic as our archive expands.

Skirts

We are not sure how commomly Canadian boys wore skirts. We have been able to find few images. We think it may have been more common than suggested by the photograhic record. Skirts may have been more common than recorded in studio photography for which the children were commoly dressed up in their best outfits. Skirts may have been seen as too informal for the studio. We have found one image, a Montreal boy wearing aleated skirt. The mother ptobably saw this a a kilt, although there were no kilt elements other than the pleating. The potrait shows two children in an indoor setting on steps with a carpet runner. We think it is a studio setting. The girl is seated on the steps, has curly long hair and is wearing a black velvet dress with a lace hem. She is wearing brown socks and brown shoes. Her sightly older brother is standing on the steps, holding the door open. He is wearing a black velvet jacket with lace cuffs and collar and a pleated skirt and brown socks and shoes. A small tea set sits on the step between them.

Kilts

There is a substantial Scottish influence in Canada. The Maritime Provinces, especially Nova Scotia have the most obvious Scottish influence, but even French Montreal has significnt Scottish influence. One report indivates that at least some boys in Nova Scotia wore kilts during the 19th century. This appears to have been the case for sone boys whose fathers were soldiers in St. Johns. HBC does not know, however, how common this was, either for soldiers' families or for the population in general. We note stores at the turn of the 20th century were offering essentially the same styles as Ametican stores, including kilt suits, fancy blouses, and Fauntleroy suits.

Tunics

We note Canadian boys wearing tunic suits in the early 20th century. They seem rather similar to the suits worn in America, commonly with belts. The tunic seemed less popular in Britain at the time. We notice Canadian boys wearing tunic suits done in the sailor style. One example is a sailor tunic done with polka dot material. But this was unusual. Most were done with more of a nautical look. One image shows Canadian children dressed up, but playing in a park in 1912. The boy wears a white tunic suit. Another unidentified Canadian boy wears a white tunic at about the same time. It is done in the sailor style, but with lace rather than stripped detailing.

Smocks

HBC has wondered just how influential French fashions were in Canada, especially amomg French Canadians. As far as HBC can determine, French Canadian boys never wore smocks at home or at school as was common for French boys. A HBC reader has done some research on the topic. His efforts to search for information on smocks ("tablier") in Canada has only yielded information on girls wearing smocks. He concludes that the French style of school smocks was apparently not imported to Quebec. We note, however, that smocks or perhaps pinafores (the image is indistinct) were being worn at a Montreal orphanage in 1909-10. We see smocks being worn at another Montreal orphanage in 1943.

Created: 9:03 PM 2/9/2015
Last updated: 1:08 AM 6/28/2016