Figure 1.--This cabinet portrait shows an unidentified boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit about 1890. He was photographed by L.G. Bissonnettein Roxbury, Massachusetts. He looks to be about 3-4 years old. |
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Boys have commonly worn blouses, but the ages of the boys involved and the popularity of the blouse as a boys' garment have changed sunstantially over time. Blouses were widely worn by boys, especially in the 19th century. While we have only limited information on the early 19th century, we know quite a bit about the mid- and late-19th century, thanks to catalgs and photography. There were no image of the blouse as a girl's or woman's garment. We note boys commonly wearing from the time they were breeched to about 12-13 years of age. This continured into the early 20th century. After World War I boys begn to mostly wear shirts. Younger boys might wear blouses, especially when dressing up, but the blouse primarily becme seen as a girl's or woman's garment.
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