Figure 1.--Not all boys wore dresses abd other skirted garments. This Daguerreotype shows a very young boy wearing a suit and trousers. He looks to be only about 1 year old. The portrait was probab;y taken in the 1850s.

It was commonn to dress younger boys in dresses and other skirted garments. We are not entirely sure about colonial America, but we believe this was common. We have much more information on the 19th century. It was quite common for boys to wear skirted garments until they began school at about age 6 years. There was, however no hard and fast rule. We note quite young boys who have been breeched and wearing trousers. Apparently they never wore dresses as boys. We believe that the most common convention was for the younger boys to wear skirted garments. What varied widely was the age of breeching. We notice boys older than 6 years wearing skirted grments. Conventions here varied greatly from family to family. Families varied as to the age of breeching as well as whether to cut a boy's hair before or after breeching. We see boys at many different ages wearing dresses. Social class was a factor, especially for older boys waring skirted garments. Younger boys still wore dresses in the early 20th century, but the fashion was going out of style and rarely seen after World War I, except for very yong boys. We have not yet developed the subject of breeching in America inn much detail. We have, however worked on the topic of breeching in general.

Skirted Garments

American boys like boys in other countries have worn a variety of skirted garments. The conventions involved was essentially brought to America by European immigrants. Thus fashion trends in Britain, Ireland, and Germany were especially important. There were substantial differences among families as to the conventions. Social class was an important influence. The styles and conventions involved have varied over time. It was very common for younger boys to werars dresses and other skirted garmens. The skirted garments have inclided dresses, skirts, kilts, and tunics as well as smocks and pinafores. For many years the styles worn by boys and girls were essentially identical, but in the late 19th century you begin to see boy-styled dresses. Boys still wore these garments in the late 19th century, but they rapidly went out of fashion after the turn of the 20th century and were no longer commonly seen after World War I. Dresses disappered first. Tunics were worn a lottlke longer. It is not entirely clear why a convention that persisted for so many years disappeared so quickly. The garment that persisted the longest was the tunic. Kilts are occassionally worn, but primarily at ethnic events like Scottish Highland gatterings,Irish feishes, and Greek celebrations.

Chronology

We are not entirely sure about colonial America, but we believe this was common. We have much more information on the 19th century, largely because photography became commercially viable in the 1840s. . Younger boys still wore dresses in the early 20th century, but the fashion was going out of style and rarely seen after World War I, except for very yong boys.

Age Conventions

We see boys at many different ages wearing dresses. It was quite common for boys to wear skirted garments until they began school at about age 6 years. There was, however no hard and fast rule. We note quite young boys who have been breeched and wearing trousers. Apparently they never wore dresses as boys. We believe that the most common convention was for the younger boys to wear skirted garments. What varied widely was the age of breeching. We notice boys older than 6 years wearing skirted grments.

Family Variation

Conventions here varied greatly from family to family. Families varied as to the age of breeching as well as whether to cut a boy's hair before or after breeching.

Social Class

Social class was a factor, especially for older boys waring skirted garments.

Photographic Evidence

There are several useful sources of information on breeching. The most useful are family correspondence and published accounts from family members. These are difficult to find. Individuals often do not recall their early childhood and thus such events, no matter how important at the time, are often not remembered. We have primarily relied on the photographic record for HBC. Portraits of boys in skirted outfits are common and useful, but they do not tell us when a boy was actually breeched. Sone of the most useful images are family portraits. The ages of the boys in skirted outfits and pants can help determine the approximate age of breeching for that particular family. A good example is the Drowne boys in the 1870s. The problem with using the photographic record, however, is that the children are often not identified. Thus in many cases we do not know who the children in skirted garments are.

Main Breeching Page

We have not yet developed the subject of breeching in America inn much detail. We have, however worked on the topic of breeching in general. One of the least studied events of boyhood by social historians is breeching, a major rite of passage for boys. This event for centuries was an important event in a boy's life until the 1920s. Boys until that time wore dresses. For several centuries European and American boys wore dresses just like their sisters, with perhaps only little clues such as sashes to distinguish them. By the late 19th century, some dresses were made specifically for boys, usually plainer than the styles for girls. Boys did not, however, always get these boy dresses. Many dresses were designated as "children's styles" for both boys and girls. Some mothers did not like these plainer styles and purchased the more elaborate girls' styles for their sons. Other boys inherited the hand-me-downs of their older sisters. I hope to acquire references to breeching in the correspondence of mothers. There appears to be relatively few accounts on the part of boys as they were rather young to remember much. (More accounts appear to exist about Little Lord Fauntleroy and curls as the boys were generally older. Happily the developing science of photography have beginning in the 1840s has left us some actual images of the breeching process.

Created: 2:21 AM 1/12/2008
Last updated: 6:44 PM 4/15/2008