Child's Hair Bows: Difficult Image 3


Figure 1.--Tunics seem to have been primarily a boy's garment in Europe. I'm not sure, however, to what extent this was the case in America. I'm tempted to say the child is a girl, but without any certainty. Also we think that the double hair bows were more common for girls.

We found this family portrait difficult to assess. It is an American image, probably taken about 1910. In part we can not see the middle child's entire outfit and thus it is not real clear what the child is wearing. My best guess is a sailor tunic. I am, however, still not real certain if girls wore sailor tunics in America. Tunics seem to have been primarily a boy's garment in Europe. I'm not sure, however, to what extent this was the case in America. I'm tempted to say the child is a girl, but without any certainty. Also we think that the double hair bows were more common for girls. The clothing and basic nature of the photograph suggest that this was not a particularly well to do family. Hair bows for boys were probably more common with prosperous families, especially by the 1910s, but this does not mean that the child here could not have been a boy.

Reader Comment

A French reader writes, "I think it is quite easy to know the gender of the middle child here. Refering to the garment, the tunics for boys had a very low untightened belt and were worn with short trousers or bloomer knickers. The dresses for girls had a belt at the waist or no belt at all. Girls in the early 20th century never wore trousers, including short trousers. For the baby and toddler, it was well more complicated and thus difficult to assess.







Christopher Wagner




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Created: January 3, 1998
Last updated: January 24, 2003