Figure 1.--This unidentified and unattributed portrait. W believe tht the child is a boy, based largely on facial fearures. The shortish hair is also a clue, but girls lso had short hair. The boy is wearing what looks to be a dark green velvet dress. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was painted about 1840. As in America, some English boys had their curls cut before and others after breeching.

Many images of English boyswearing dresses look to be garments that just as easily could have been worn by girls with the same neck lines and styling. Boys wore the same dress styles that were fashionable at the time for girls. The boy here wears a dress with a low neck line just as his sister may have worn (figure 1). Later in the 19th century some more plain styles for boys developed. Not all mothers, however, used the plainer, less ornate styles. English boys, as did boys in other European countries and America, wore dresses when they were little until breched. The age of breaching varied from family to family and over time. The dresses for boys through much of the 19th century were indestinguisable from those worn by the boys' sisters. The styles were basically the same as those worn by English girls at the time. This did not change until the late 19th century when boy dresses became plainer than those worn by girls. Plaid was a popular fabric for boys' dresses, in part because it related to a boy's garment--the kilt. We do not know of any specifically English styles here. We do not know if the English pattern differed in any way with the general European pattern. Much of the photographic record is not identified. There are some clues that can be used to help destinguish gender, but of course there is no fool proof way ofd doing this. Even if we can't be sure about identification, however, the images are useful to show stylistic trends.

Gender Styling

Many images of English boyswearing dresses look to be garments that just as easily could have been worn by girls with the same neck lines and styling. Boys wore the same dress styles that were fashionable at the time for girls. The boy here wears a dress with a low neck line just as his sister may have worn (figure 1). Later in the 19th century some more plain styles for boys developed. Not all mothers, however, used the plainer, less ornate styles. The dresses for boys through much of the 19th century were indestinguisable from those worn by the boys' sisters. The styles were basically the same as those worn by English girls at the time. This did not change until the late 19th century when boy dresses became plainer than those worn by girls.

Patterns

Plaid was a popular fabric for boys' dresses, in part because it related to a boy's garment--the kilt. We do not know of any specifically English styles here. We do not know if the English pattern differed in any way with the general European pattern.

Color

We are not sure if there were any color destinctions. We have a few paintings, but the black and white photography of the day. Here we see a dark green dress, but we do not think that that this had any gender commotations.

Ages

English boys, as did boys in other European countries and America, wore dresses when they were little until breched. The age of breaching varied from family to family and over time.

Identification

Much of the photographic record is not identified. And we have acquired numerous images of English children in dresses whose gender is uncertain. Younger children are often difficult to assess by facial features. and many girls had short hair as well as boys with long hair. Thus assessing gender in 19th century photograph with any surity is very difficult. There are some clues that can be used to help destinguish gender, but of course there is no fool proof way ofd doing this. Even if we can't be sure about identification, however, the images are useful to show stylistic trends.

Created: May 17, 2002
Last updated: 1:58 PM 12/2/2015