Figure 1.-- This CDV portrait was taken by the Mears Studio of Burlington, Vermont. The boy looks to be about 7 years old. The portrait is undated, but the Federal revenue stamp on the back tells us it was taken iduring 1864-66. Here the boy is not wearing a suit, but a shirt and knee pants. While the buttobs are not visible, the pants are clearly being held up by buttons on the shirt. Notice the rounded crown hat--a popular boy's style. Note the shirt has no collsar, exceot a lttle ruffle. Also notice the toy he is holding.

Button-on styling was very common for school-age boys in the 1860s to about age 8-10 years, although that is just an estimate at this time. We note button-on pants being worn in the mid-19 century with blouses, cut-away jackets. and other suit styles. Here the development of negative based photographic formatc (CDVs and cabinent cards) and the resulting fall in prices resulted in the explosive growth of the industry, leaving us with large numbers of images. Some of these outfits were obsiously button on outfits because you can see the buttons. Quite a few examples are archived in HBC. A good example is the two-piece outfit worn by two Detroit brothers, we think in the late-1860s. Notice the waist-band covering or flap that hides the buttons. Some outfits are less obvious because you can not see the buttons. There seem to be two reasons for this. One was boys fore a kind of waist flap or cumberbund-type garment which covered the buttons. The other reason was that the buttons did not go through to the outside of the waistline.

Popularity

Button-on styling was very common for school-age boys in the 1860s. The prevalence of these images in the photographic record suggests that this style was very common. Here the development of negative based photographic format (CDVs and cabinent cards) and the resulting fall in prices resulted in the explosive growth of the industry, leaving us with large numbers of images from the 1860s. We see large numbers of boys wearing button-on clothing in the 1860s. A good example is John Schwensusen.

Ages

The photographic record suggests that boys began wearing these button on outfits after they were brreched. This would mean anywhere from about 3-6 years. One boy, Charls J.J. Carter, looks to be about 7 years old. They were worn by boys up to about age 8-10 years, although that is just an estimate at this time.

Garments

We note button-on pants being worn in the mid-19 century with blouses, cut-away jackets. and other suit styles. We tend to note more boys wearing suits in the 1860s.

Arrangements

Some of these outfits were obsiously button on outfits because you can see the buttons. Others are less bovious because the buttons are not visuible. Quite a few examples of both are archived in HBC.

Buttons showing

Many photogra[hs clearly show the buttons, indicating that pants on the shirts are holding up the pnts.

Buttons hidden

Underwaists

A possibility for button-on clothing is underwaists. These became very important in the late 19th century, but this does not seem to be the case in the 1860s. Note boys commonly wore shirts that tucked into their waisbands and not blouses with out tails. If the shirt tucks into the waistband then that means buttons on a underwaist canto to be attached to the waistand of the pantw.

Created: 12:04 AM 8/12/2007
Last updated: 5:49 AM 3/23/2009