Figure 1.--The Mint Museum of Art in 1999 sponsored an exhibit on Children's Fashions from the 19thhcCentury. On display was this slip from the 1850s-60s that would have been worn under a dress by a girl or younger boy.
|
Figure 1.--The Mint Museum of Art in 1999 sponsored an exhibit on Children's Fashions from the 19thhcCentury. On display was this slip from the 1850s-60s that would have been worn under a dress by a girl or younger boy. |
Dresses in the late 19th century were still worn by children of both genders. Boys might wear dresses styled just like the ones worn by their sisters. Here dresses might be fancy with frills. But girls als wore plainer dressess. Unfortunately HBC does not have detailed information on girls dresses. Some gender-based stylistic differences were becoming more apparent, especially by the 1890s. Girls' dresses often buttoned in the back while a boy's dress buttoned in the front--but there were no definitive rule. The use of hand me downs futher complicated who wore what. Mych was left to the mother's discression. The Mint Museum of Art in 1999 sponsored an exhibit on Children's Fashions from the Nineteenth Century. On display was s a young boy's dress with a rosette "bustle" purchased in 1879 in Chicago for 4-year old James Cromwell. The Museum reports, "Such garments were worn over flounced petticoats with lace-trimmed pantalets or knee-length trousers beneath. Dresses for young girls imitated adult versions, often requiring corsets. Short skirts were also characteristic as seen in a highly structured young girl's dress circa 1880-1885."
Dresses in the late 19th century were still worn by children of both genders. Boys might wear dresses styled just like the ones worn by their sisters. Here dresses might be fancy with frills. But girls als wore plainer dressess. Unfortunately HBC does not have detailed information on girls dresses. We have, however, begun to collect informastion on girls clothing, maning mostly dresses, during the 1870s, the 1880s, and the 1890s. Some gender-based stylistic differences were becoming more apparent, especially by the 1890s.
We noticea range of diddrent styles. There were fancy, frilly styles. There were also plain styles looking rather like suits. A good example here is Martin Allister Wambold an American boy in 1886.
Girls' dresses often buttoned in the back while a boy's dress buttoned in the front--but there were no definitive rule.
The use of hand me downs futher complicated who wore what.
Standard conventions were not as strong in the late-19h century as they would become in the 20th century, Much was left to the mother's discression.
The Mint Museum of Art in 1999 sponsored an exhibit on Children's Fashions from the 19th century. On display was a young boy's dress with a rosette "bustle" purchased in 1879 in Chicago for 4-year old James Cromwell. The Museum reports, "Such garments were worn over flounced petticoats with lace-trimmed pantalets or knee-length trousers beneath. Dresses for young girls imitated adult versions, often requiring corsets. Short skirts were also characteristic as seen in a highly structured young girl's dress circa 1880-1885." A slip from the xhibit can be seen here (figure 1).
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[Return to the Main late 19th century dress page]
[The 16th century]
[The 17th century]
[The 18th century]
[Mid-18th century]
[Late-18th century]
[The 1800s]
[The 1810s]
[The 1820s]
[The 1830s]
[The 1840s]
[The 1850s]
[The 1860s]
[The 1870s]
[The 1880s]
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web dress pages:
[Return to the Main dress page]
[Pinafores]
[Sausage curls]
[Smocks]
[Bodice kilts]
[Kilts]
[Fauntleroy dresses]
[Sailor dresses]
[Fancy dresses]
[Dresses: 17th century]
[Dresses: 18th century]
[Dresses: Early-Mid-19th century]
[Dresses: Late-19th century]
[Dresses: Early 20th century]
[Difficult images]
[Movie dresses]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]