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Much more information is available on boys clothing during the 1850s than the previous ddecades of the 19th century. The 1850s is the first decade in which large numbers of photographic images of boys appear. Thus for the first time we have large numbers of very accuate images picturing boys' clothing. American boys by the 1850s were no longer wearing long tunics, although the style had evolved into a kind of tunic jacket which was popular. The tunic-style jackets often had embroidered designs. These andother suits often had fanciful designs. The collars worn by boys grew increasingly small in the 1850s, in sharp contrast to the collars boys wore in the earlier and latter period of the decade. Boys commonly wore long trousers, generally quite baggy. Some younger boys began to be seen in shortened-length trousers, bloomer knickers bloused below the knee. The cut was generally but well below the knee. Long trousers were most common, but fashionably dressed boys from affluent families did wear the new bloomer knickers. Some boys might also wore long pants well above the ankles, but this may have been primarily the result of boys outgrowing their clothes and the high cost of replacing them--not a fashion statement. The 1850s was the last decade of slavery in America. Most black children lived as slaves in the South and were crudely dressed. Small numbers of blacks lived in the north and dressed like other children of similar economic levels.
We have archived a number of individual portraits on HBC. The number is limited before the 1860s, but we have a few from the 1850s. Much more information is available on boys clothing during the 1850s than the previous decades of the 19th century. The 1850s is the first decade in which large numbers of photographic images of boys appear. Thus for the first time we have a substantial numbers of very accuate images picturing boys' clothing. It should be stressed that that while the number of images is greater thana ny other time in history, they are still limited compared to what was to come with the albumen process and thev CDV (1860s).
Photographic portraits were still expensive given the prevailing income of consumers, although not nearly as expensive as painted portraits. Falling prices will mean even more photographs in later decades, but compared to early decades there are a substantial number of accurate images avaiable for the first time in the 1850s. Many of the portraits from the 1850s are Daguerotypes or Ambrotypes. The Daguerotypes can be from the 1840s through 60s, but most are from the 1850s. The Ambrotypes date from the 1850s through 60s, but most are from the 1850s. Both of these positive processes become much less common when the less expensive and more useable negative-based CDV and cabinent card formats rapidy replace them. We have collected a number of 1850s portraits, most are from America.
Although photography developed in the mid--19th century (1839), artists are still a major source of information about fashion. And for the United states this primarily meant mostly naive, itenerant artists. Huge numbers of photographic images were not made until the advent of the albumen process and the CDV (1860s). And while naive artists had limited skills, they did very accurately depict clothing--with the added bonus of color. One artist who provides us a look at how children dressed in the 1850s is George Baker Jr.. An artist named Wybeant left us several portraits of unidentified children wearing dresses in the 1850s. Another important and more prolifuic artist active during the antebellum era was Joseph Goodhue Chandler. Most of his work was done in the 1840s-50s. Gradualy naive artists found it increasingly difficult to make a living. Photographic portraits are much less expensive and more accurate.
American boys by the 1850s were no longer wearing long tunics, although the style had evolved into a kind of tunic jacket which was popular. The tunic-style jackets often had embroidered designs. These andother suits often had fanciful designs. The collars worn by boys grew increasingly small in the 1850s, in sharp contrast to the collars boys wore in the earlier and latter period of the decade. Boys commonly wore long trousers, generally quite baggy. Some younger boys began to be seen in shortened-length trousers, bloomer knickers bloused below the knee. The cut was generally but well below the knee. Long trousers were most common, but fashionably dressed boys from affluent families did wear the new bloomer knickers. Some boys might also wore long pants well above the ankles, but this may have been primarily the result of boys outgrowing their clothes and the high cost of replacing them--not a fashion statement.
The 1850s was the last decade of slavery in America. Most black children lived as slaves in the South and were crudely dressed. There are very few images available of slave children, just as there are few painted portraits. Slave children generally often wore clothes discaded by their owners. On large plantations slave children might wear simplest garments fashioned by their parents from rough fabric. Small numbers of blacks lived in the north and dressed like other children of similar economic levels.
We have found a number of photographs which we believe date to the 1850s. Unfortunately many are not dated. We can only estimate the dates. These images are mostly Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes. These images unlike later CDVs and cabinent cards had no place where notations as to names and dates could be easily written. Thus in most instances we can only guess as to the dates. We invite HBC readers to comment if they have comments. We note button-on clothes and small collars in the 1850s, both plain white and ruffle collars. We also note stocks and bows, but many boys did not have neckwear. Buttons were commonly used for decorative purpose. We note that tunics were popular. Many were styled similarly to shirts. Plaid was a popular fabric. Photography was still fairly expensive in the 1850s so the number of images is more limited than the 1860s when negative proceesses were perfected. We had intended this page to be a list of 1850s individuals from all countries. We have, however, with very few exceptions only found American examples. Now we are an American site and from the beginning have been more successful in finding American examples. But the prevaklence of American examples for early photographic types like Dags and Ambros is so extreme, we gave reached the conclusion that there were just a lot more photographs being taken in America than any other country. A factor here seems to have been that Europeans were unable to enforce their copyright claims in America.
We not only have found individual portaits from the 1850s, but group images as well. The groups images are especially useful because they tells us what different age groups were wearing as well as both boys and girls at the same time. Thus we learn both about ghe styles, but the convengtiins assocaited with them. This was true for both photographic and painted images. The portrait here is a good example (figure 1). Another good example is three children, we think from the same Maine family. The portraits are niostly not dated, but they are chosen because we think they are from the late 1850s.
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