Figure 1.--Here we see two unidentified American children dressed up in Japanese outfits. The gurls has a doll. The boy has aparasol. The portrait is dated 1905. The photographer was Woodward.

We see some children wearing very elaborate costumes duting the late-19 and early-20th centuries. We are less sure about the early 19th century before photography provided us evidence of such cstumes. These include a varity of themes. The ones we see most common are: chrarcters, historical era, folk, literary, and national. Some may have worn them for costume parties. Often the children just wear them for fun or specifically to have aportrait taken. We notice both snap shots amd studio portraits. These were not just children putting on a jumbel of old clothes. Some wel-behaved children (presumably girls) mighthave been allowed to play in them. We supect for the boys it was more for the portrait. They were clearly not trick-or trat costumes. The children would have had to have assistance dressing upnand posing. We suspect that that they were carefully supervised while in these costumes. These costumes seem very well done, including obviously expensive fabrics and trim. They seem what one might expct in a bid-budget theatrical production. Of course for the most part it was only the affluent class that could afford such elaborate and very expensise costumes.

Created: 7:19 AM 2/10/2009
Last updated: 7:19 AM 2/10/2009