Figure 1.--These unidentified children are surely the siblings of a comfortable middle-class family. The portrait is undates, but looks to have been taken about 1900-05. Mother has carefully chosen the outfits of the three boys. Here hair styling was not a factor. Inlike theor clothes, the boys jhave similat haor cuits. We are guessing that mother probably wanted to do her daughter's hair in ringlets. The studio was Cole in Washington, Iowa.

Boys and men basically wore the same styles through the 18th century. This means from the medieval wea in to the 18th entury. Paintings show that boys after the infancy abd toddler phase begin after breeching essentially wearing the same styles. The primary differences were social class. There were huge didfferences netween the aristocracy, middle class, and peasantry. This began to change in the 19th century, in part because of the rising affluence of the middle class and working classes and in part because of the declining relative cost of clothing. Age was not very important because children were seen esssentially as small adults. We only begin seeing age grading as the concept of childhood develops. With the increasing recognition that childhood was a special time of life and that children had special needs we begion to see the development of dedicated boys' styles. This began with the skeleton suit (1800s). Dedicated styles for boys develioed first, but weventally we begin to see girls' styles as well. We begin to see the idea of age grading appearing, and becoming inceasingly important in the second half of the century. Age grading became a well established convention, although the styles involved and the conventions practiced varied substantially over time. Thus we see a range of different garments being used for age grading. They have included hair styles, headwear, collars, bows, jacket styles, skirted garments, pants type and length, pants suspension hosiery, and footwear. This continued unto the early-20th century, but becomes less pronounced as the century progressed. Here a major influence was school and yje increasing role of childrn in deciding what they wear.

The 18th Century

Boys and men basically wore the same styles through the 18th century. This means from the medieval wea in to the 18th entury. Paintings show that boys after the infancy abd toddler phase begin after breeching essentially wearing the same styles. The primary differences were social class. There were huge didfferences netween the aristocracy, middle class, and peasantry. Age was not very important because children were seen esssentially as small adults. We only begin seeing age grading as the concept of childhood develops. This begn with the skeleton suit (1780s).

The 19th Century

This basic similarity of clothing began to change in the 19th century. It is not immidately apparent just why parents, perhaps mostly moyhers, mothers decided that children should be dressed like adults. We ay nothers because ot was mostly mothers who were resonsible for raising younger children. Several factors may have been responsible. One factor was the Enlightenment and philosphers like Rosseau who began to wuggest that childhood was a destinct period of human development and that children should be treated differently. This thinking begn in the 18th century, but was not widely adopted until the 19th century. Another factor was the rising affluence of the middle class and working classes as a result of the industrial revolution. And the declining relative cost of clothing in terns of the hours of work needed to purchase clothing may have been a factor. With the increasing recognition that childhood was a special time of life and that children had special needs we begion to see the development of dedicated boys' styles. The first such item was the skeleton suit. While appearing in the late-18th century, only with the 19th century did the skelton become a major style. Dedicated styles for boys developed first, but eventally we begin to see girls' styles as well. The idea of age grading appeared and gradually grew in umportance. Age grading deveoped into a major aspect of children's fashions in the second half of the century. And as an acident of history, age grading became incresinly pronounced at about the same time photography was developed. Thus we have a detailed historical record. Age grading became a well established convention, although the styles involved and the conventions practiced varied substantially over time. Thus we see a range of different garments being used for age grading.They have included hair styles, headwear, collars, bows, jacket styles, skirted garments, pants type and length, pants suspension hosiery, and footwear.

The 20th Century

Age grading continued to be important into the early-20th century, but becomes less pronounced as the century progressed. Here a major influence was school and the increasing role of childrn in deciding what they wear.

Created: 12:36 AM 9/3/2013
Last updated: 3:44 AM 11/21/2015