Figure 1.-- This photograph shows a street sceen with carriages and poople about 1900 in Havana. It was described as an 'extra-wide street. Notice the boys wearing knee pants. If we are reading the inscription on the photogaph correctly, this was Apodoea Street. Notice the cross stree is paved. Except for modern paving, much of Havana still looks like this. It would be interesting to see the street today.

We do not have much information on Cuban boys' clothing until the 20th century. We note references to Cuban boys not wearing any clothing, especially boys from low-income families. This was not uncommon in the Caribbean. It may have been especially true of Cuba because slavery was not ablolished until the late-19th century (1870s). A reader writes, "Not only slave children, but also lower class free children went often unclothed. In 1850 the new bishop of Santiago, the Spanish Antonio Claret, was disturned by this. He refused to give communion to a naked child. That meens that some of poorer children were attending church naked. Middle-class an urban childrem wore clothing. We know very little fashion trends in the 19th century. We note many Cuban boys in the late-19th century wearing the kind of white shirt and pants common throughout the Spanish speaking Caribbean and Mexico. More affluent boys in the cities wore Spanish-styled clothing. Knee pants were common and we also see long stockings even with Cub's warm tropical climate. After independence, the United States gradually became more of a fashion influence. We begin to see boys wearing knickers. Baseball was another American influence. Under Spain, Cuba was an economic and social backwater. After independence, Cuba made a great deal of economic progress, fueled in part through American investment and trade. Cuba developed one of the most prosperous middle classes in Latin America. Percapita income was very high by Latin American standards--something Cuban authorities do not like to mention. While high, income was unevely distributed. Rural agricultural labor, often of African discent, did not participate in Cuba's prosperity. As a result of the prosperity, we note images of quite well dressed Cuban children especially in the cities. This changed after Castro seized power (1959). The Revolution certainly reduced the disparities in Cuban society, essentially by making everyone but the Communist elite poor. Percapita incomes today are among the lowest in Latin America. The poverty in Cuba since the Revolution has significantly affected fashion and clothing as a result of the very limited buying power of the average Cuban. Clothing is rationed. Cuba is the only contry in Latin America which rations clothing and food. While few Cubans can aford to dress fashionably, it is notable that you do not see Cuban children dressed in rags. Few Cuban parents, however, can afford to dress themselves or their children fashionably.

Created: 7:23 PM 12/25/2015
Last updated: 7:23 PM 12/25/2015