Figure 1.--This Italian boy was photographed in Como during January 1874. We note boys wearing fancier suits in the 1870s with elaborate piping and embroidered designs. The boy's suite shown here appaeras to have an influence of sailor styling, especially at the collar. The boy's name appears to be Envira St. Giuseppe. although the hand writing on the back of the card is difficult to read. Image courtesy of the MD collection.

We notice most of the styles wore in other European countries. Italian boys appear to have worn tunic suits in the mid-19th century. We note a boy wearing a velvet suits with knicker-length pants in 1866. Most boys from maffluent families appear to have worn knicker-length pants. The 1860s were an especially important decade for Italy as it was in that decade that the country was finally unified. Some boys in the 1860s wore belts over their tunics. Collars and bows were small until the 1870s. Shoes and stockings seem fancier than in Britain and America. We note boys wearing fancier suits in the 1870s with elaborate piping and embroidered designs. The one shown here appears to have an influence of sailor styling, especially at the collar (figure 1). Military enspired designs appear popular. Fauntleroy and sailor suits became popular in the late 19th century. I am not positive when sailor suits first appeared in Italy. The earliest image we have at this time is from the 1880s, but we presume that sailors suits were probably worn before that. Many boys wore wide-brimmed sailor hats. School children commonly wore smocks, but we are not ure just when that began. And e are not sure how common smocks were outside of school.

Early-19th century

Wev very little information on Italian boy's fashios in the early-19th century. Our initial assessment is that upper- and jmoiddle-class fashions basically followed wider European styles, primarily French and Germnan styles. Fashions for the rural wirking classes esoecialy in the still basically feudal south were more basically what we now see as folk styles. They were more commonly inflouenced by the earm weather.

Mid-19th Century

We begin to see images of Italisn boys clothing in the mid-19th century thanks to photography. We notice most of the styles wore in other European countries. Italian boys appear to have worn tunic suits in the mid-19th century. Photography as invented (1839), bu e have found very few Italians images done in he early formats like Dags or Ambros.

The 1860s

With the appearance of the CDV (1860s, we suddenly have large numbers of photographic images to work with. We note the boy on the previous bage wearing a velvet suits with knicker-length pants in 1866. Many boys from affluent families appear to have worn knicker-length pants, bit we also see long pants as well. The 1860s were an especially important decade for Italy as it was in that decade that most of he the country was finally unified, only the northeast remained in Austrian hands. This made the Austrians unpopular, but meant that there was an Austrian/German influence on Italian fashions. Some boys in the 1860s wore belts over their tunics.

The 1870s

We do notknow mjuch about skirted garments, butvwe note boys continuing to wear tunics. Collars and bows were small until the 1870s. Collars were mixed during the decafde. We cintinue to see many small collars, but we begin to see some larger collars. We see small neckwear like cross-bows. We see sailor suits, although some like the one the boy here is wearinhg do not look much like sailor suits (figure 1). Notice the heavy use of stripes. We note boys wearing fancier suits in the 1870s with elaborate piping and embroidered designs. Younger boys might ear cut-away jackets. The one shown here appears to have an influence of sailor styling, especially at the collar (figure 1). Military enspired designs appear popular. Stripe detailing was popular. We see noyh knicker-length pants nd long pants. Knee pants seem more commomn than knickers. We cintinue to see many boys wearing long pants. Shoes and stockings seem fancier than in Britain and America, but because of poverty many working-class boys went barefoot. The warm climate was a factor here.

The 1880s

Fauntleroy and sailor suits became popular in the late 19th century. I am not positive when sailor suits first appeared in Italy. The earliest image we have at this time is from the 1880s, but we presume that sailors suits were probably worn before that. Many boys wore wide-brimmed sailor hats.

The 1890s

School children commonly wore smocks, but we are not ure just when that began. And e are not sure how common smocks were outside of school.

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Created: March 18, 2003
Last updated: 9:25 PM 6/12/2018