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The early 20th Century was an interesting period in the development of boys' clothing. In many ways it was a period of many varied styles. Late 19th century styles continued after the turn of the century. A few
styles such as tunics and rompers are characteristic of the period, other styles were waning
19th Century fashions such as kiltsuits and Fauntleroy suits and emerging 20th Century styles like knickers and short pants. Long ringlet curls were still worn at the turn of the century, but gradualy became less fashionable. American parents still basically followed
European fashions in through the early 20th century, altough two classic styles Fautleroy suits and
Buster Brown suits did originate in America.
These styles were still popular in 1900, but by the end of World War I (1914-18) had passed from the fashion scene. Younger boys from wealthy families, however, might still be dressed up in velvet suits.
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Late 19th century styles continued after the turn of the century. Little boys continued to wears dress, although not with as elaborate trim. The age of boys wearing dresses began to decline, especially in the 1910s. Little Lord Fauntleroy suits were still popular. After the turn of the century Fauntleroy suits with short pants (rathr than kneepants) began to appear and were increasingky worn with white stockings or
white kneesocks. The size of the jackets increased to cover the
blouse entirely. In addition large lace collars began to be replaced with ruffled collars and smaller bows. Some ruffled collars were wore with open necks. Increasinly kneepants and long stockings were replaced with either shortpants or knickers worn with kneesocks. Shortpants became particularly popular in Britain and Europe while knickers became more popular in America.
America was a much more rural society in the late 19th and early 20th century tha it is now. Many Americans live on the farm or in small rural towns. When they dressed up they followed the same dressy styles as boys
in the cuties wore--although the latest styles probably took a little longer to reach rural America in the days before television. Fashion magazines and mail order catalogs made sure that rural America was never
to far removed from the latest fashions. Most of the time rural boys would be likely to wear work clothes like overalls. They would often wear such clothes to school--at least elementary school. They were not called jeans at the time, and of course the idea of designer jeans could not even be conceived in the early 20th century, but Levi Straus dungaree overalls were widely worn by men and boys.
We note some of the major garments worn by American boys in the early 20th century. We see some major changed in headwear during the early 20th century. The wide-brimmed sailor cap popular in the late 19th Century continued to be worn with formal outfits for younger boys after the turn of the century. We no longer see boys commonly wearing the rounded crown hats popular in rural areas. Some boys wore boaters and we see a felt hat that had an only slightly peaked crown. The major development was the increasing popularity of caps. There were everal styles, but gradually gthe flat cap emerged by the 1910s as the standard American boys' cap. The fashion of outfitting boys in dresses continued to be quite common at the turn of the century. Little boys in 1900 continued to wears dress, although as the decade progressed they no longer wore the more girlish styles with elaborate lace and ruffle trim. The age of boys wearing dresses began to decline. While the practice of outfitting boys in dresses, continued in the 1910s, it was becoming much less common. Rompers were widely worn by boys after the turn of the century. They may have appeared before 1900, but they were not widely worn in the 1980s. They were a style for generally younger boys. Many of the boys outfitted in rompers might have worn dresses before the turn of the century. American boys mostly wore kneepants at the turn of the Century. As the decacde progressed knickers became increasingly popular and were the dominant by the 1910s. Short pants began to apeear in the 1910s, but they were not nearly as popular in America as they proved to be in Europe. American boys in the 1900s mostly wore long stockings with knee pants, even during the summer. Dark black stockings were the most common, but dark brown was also worn. Light-colored long stockings were not common. Younger boys might wear white long stockings on dressy occasions, but black was more common. Younger boys might wear their kneepants with socks, usually three quater length socks, especially during the summer. Older boys, however, did not wear such socks with either kneepants or knickers.
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The early 1900s was a watershed period in American boys' fashions. The old formal styles were still worn at the turn of the century, but the new more casual styles had begun to appear by the 1910s.
Little Lord Fauntleroy suits were still popular. After the turn of the century Fauntleroy suits with short pants (rather than kneepants) began to appear and
were increasingly worn with white stockings or
white kneesocks. The size of the jackets increased to cover the blouse entirely. In addition large lace collars began to be replaced with ruffled collars and smaller bows. Some ruffled collars were wore with
open necks. Increasinly kneepants and long stockings were replaced with either shortpants or
knickers worn with kneesocks. Shortpants became particularly popular
in Britain and Europe while knickers became more popular in America.
Sailor suits continued to be a very popular style after the turn of the century. The style by the 1910s, however, eas beginining to become a fashion for little boys. The kneepants that predominated before the war had began to be replaced with knickers and to a lesser extent short pants.
America was a much more rural society in the late 19th and early 20th century tha it is now. Many Americans live on the farm or in small rural
towns. When they dressed up they followed the same dressy styles as boys in the cuties wore--although the latest styles probably took a little
longer to reach rural America in the days before television. Fashion magazines and mail order catalogs made sure that rural America was never to far removed from the latest fashions. Most of the time rural boys
would be likely to wear work clothes like overalls. They would often wear such clothes to school--at least elementary school. They were not called
jeans at the time, and of course the idea of designer jeans could not even be conceived
in the early 20th century, but Levi Straus dungaree overalls were widely worn by men and boys.
The 1900s styles were much the same as the 1890s, but by the 1910s very notable changes had begun in boys clothes. These trends continued in the 1920s when many rather modern styles began to emerge.
Condiderable differences are obsrerveable between the 1900s and 1910s. Of course the major event shaping the era was the catestrophy of World War I (1914-18). Many changes were noteable during the war, but the
fashions that later emerged after the War in the 1920s revolutionized boys fashions, although the fashions adopted were mostly first developed in the
pre War era.
The 1900s: Many popular late 19th Century fashions continued to be worn in the Edwardian era. Fauntleroy suits and sailor suits continued popular. The tunic styles of Russian blouses and Buster Brown suits became especially
popular. Many boys who might have worn dresses in an earlier era wore the new tunic style. The shorter Buster Brown bangs was all the rage, in
part repacing the ringlet curls previously worn my many boys. Boys clothing styles in the 1900s were little changed from the 1890s, but there were differences. Special boys' dresses were increasingly advertised as opposed to generic children's dresses for boys and girls. Fauntleroy suits increasingly were worn with ruffled rather than lace collars. More boys were wearing knickers rarher than keepants with long
stockings.
The 1910s: Fauntleroy suits began to be worn with ruffled rather than lace collars and declined in
popularity. Sailor suits, however, continued popular. Knickers and short pants began replacing the kneepants
worn for several decades. Uncomfortable long stockings were increasingly replaced with socks, often three-quarter length socks. Rompers became very
popular for younger boys. The practice of outfitting boys in dresses, however, began to decline in popularity. Little American boys were less commonly outfitted in dresses, especially
beyond the toddler age. Rompers had become very popular for younger boys. A boy's dress party suit was now less likely to be a Faintleroy suit. Kilt
suits were also less commonly worn. Some boys wore kneepants with long stockings for formal occasions, but most boys best suit was now a knicker suit. Long stockings were still worn as the knickers were usually worn
above the knee.
Major changes occurred in the 1900s that significantly affected the images available on boys' clothing. The major development of course was the introduction of the inexpensive Brownie camera by Kodak in 1900. Suddenly anyone could take snap shots at home. As a result, we photography leaps outside thecstudio and we begin to have large number of images showing how the average person lived and dressed from day to day. Kodak in 1908 began printing the images with postcard backs so customers would want more prints to send to realtives and friends. Colorized images also appear, but actual color images are very rare.
A dramatic change in the photographic images available to illustrate fashions, including boys' clothes, occurred in 1900. Eastman Kodak introduced the Brownie camera which was sold for only $1. This brought photography within the price range of all but the poorest Americans. Previously photographic images were mostly stiff studio images and most Americans might have their photographs taken only for special occasions. Amateur photography was becoming popular in the 1890s, but it was still very expensive. After 1900 with the Brownie, Americans of all social classes began to photograph themselves and their family on a daily basis. Suddenly in only a few years, stiff studio images were replaced with glimses of Americans in informal, real life situations. Suddenly outdoor images become common place. The new amateur snap shots availavle in unimagined quantities revealed more than ever before about what boys were wearing.
Another Eastman Kodak inovation affected the available images on the American family. Kodak offered at no extra cost in 1908 to print photographs on post card paper that could then be mailed to friends and family. With a penny stamp, intimate family images could be easily sent to uncles and aunts, grandparents, and cousins around the country at very low cost.
The United States emerged from the 19th century as an increasingly urbanized and industrial society. America in 1900 still had a large rural population, but most Americans now lived in the rapidly expanding cities. American industry was steadily surpassing the output of even the largest European countries. The impact was far reaching. Youth were now spending considerable time in school. Almost all children were now finishing primary school, although secondary school was still largely for urban children from affluent families. This meant that children were increasingly dependent on their parents into their teens, in many cases their late teens. This development had given rise to a youth culture that was affecting fashion and dress. It was to have other benign consequences. Newspapers reported on youth "gangs" and "juvenile delinquency" in the larger cities. Thus concern over youth and juvdenile delinquency gave rise to the Boy Scouts and other youth groups. High school fraternities and sororities, though not as violent as gangs, were a matter of concern and prohibited by a number of states in the Progressive Era. [Graebner, pp. 11-13.]
Sports by the turn of the 20th century had become a major interest for American children. The dominant sport was baseball. Kids not only played baseball more than any other sport, but they followed the exploits of their favorite baseball stars. Toward the end of this period, pehaps the greatest sports star of all time, Babe Ruth, appeared on the national scene. Some atheletes disappointed, one of the most famous quotes in sports history ocuured--"Say it ain't so Joe." A disappointed boy asked the disgraced White Soxs star--Shoeless Joe Jackson. For most American boys, sports was an informal activity played in a field or vacant lot. Only in highschool were formal teams formed with uniforms--but thi was only for the best atheletes. Stick ball was a substitute for baseball in the restructed big city streets. Some efforts to provide organized sport were being made. The YMCA was becoming increasingly important. But for the most part organized sport was for wealthy children whose parents mihght help them form athletic clubs. One example here is Westmoreland Athletic Club.
William Graebner, Coming of Age in Buffalo: Youth and Authority in the Postwar Era (Temple University Press, 1990).
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