Figure 1.--This photograph shows two English boys photographed in the late 1800s, probably the 1880s. They look to be about 10 years old. HBC has no other details, other than the studio where the photograph was taken was in Clapham near London. Notice the lockets the boys are wearing.

English boys, as did boys in other European countries and America, wore dresses when they were little until breched. The age of breaching varied from family to family and over time. The dresses for boys through much of the 19th century were indestinguisable from those worn by the boys' sisters. The styles were basically the same as those worn by English girls at the time. This did not change until the late 19th century when boy dresses became plainer than those worn by girls. Plaid was a popular fabric for boys' dresses, in part because it related to a boy's garment--the kilt. We do not know of any specifically English styles here. We do not know if the English pattern differed in any way with the general European pattern. At this time HBC has little information on England beyond information about the British royal family. A few available images does show that some boys continued to wear dresses beyond the normal breeching age of 4 to 6 years of age. It is likely that fewer older boys wore dresses than in the rest of Europe--especially across the Channel in France. This may in part be because it was very common in the 19th century, especially by the late 19th century, for British boys from affluent families to be sent to boarding school, often beginning at about 8 years of age. Thus there breeching would have to take place a least by this age. While younger boys of all social and economic classes wore dresses in the 19th century, it was primarily the boys from affluent families that wore them beyond the normal age of breeching. Such boys might still be educated at home with governesses and tutors.

Conventions

Many English boys, as in other European countries, wore dresses at an early age in the 18th and 19th centuries. HBC is attempting to assess this custom in different countries, but to date has been unable to identify specific English trends.

Chronology

HBC has not yet been able to identify chronological trends associated with dresses in England. We have very little chronological information at this time, but we hve begun to collect some information. Younger English boys wore dresses and other skirted garments throughout the 19th century, although this practice varied widely from country to country. Both boys and girls appear to have worn the same style dresses in the early 19th century. Later in the 19th century boys began wearing more dectintly styled oy dresses. This was increasingly common by the1880s, but again many mothers had their own very personal idea about what was suitable for boys. While some mothers continued to prefer fncy dresses, other mothers like sailor or plaid dresses. We do have an image from the 1880s with a boy wearing a sailor dress with wide-brimmed hat. Plaid was also a popular pattern for boys, presumbly because it appeared somehat like a kilt, which was a male garment. Likewisekilts and kiltsuits were also worn by boys.

Styles

The dresses for boys through much of the 19th century were indestinguisable from those worn by the boys' sisters. The styles were basically the same as those worn by English girls at the time. This did not change until the late 19th century when boy dresses became plainer than those worn by girls. Plaid was a popular fabric for boys' dresses, in part because it related to a boy's garment--the kilt. We do not know of any specifically English styles here. We do not know if the English pattern differed in any way with the general European pattern. HBC has not yet been able to identify chronological trends associated with dresses in England. The boys pictured here appear much older than was common for English boys to wear dresses. In addition, their matching dresses do not appear to have any of the boyish stylistic details which developed in America. HBC assumes that these boy styled dresses also appeared in England, but can not at this time confirm this. Unfortunately, HBC has no details about the boys pictured in the photograph (figure 1). We have noted portraits of English boys wearing sailor dresses. Some look rather like middly blouses worn with skirts while others are clearly one-piece dresses.

Elements

There are many elements that go into the contruction of a dress. The collar is a very important element on some dresses while other dresses are worn without any collar and are open at the neck. Other impoortant elements include the sleeves, boddice, waistline, and hem as well as other parts of the dress such as lining. The back and front are usually quite quite different. Generally dresses button at the back, although we note some boy dresses in the late 19ty century that buttoned at the front. A dress might also have a back tieing bow.

Age

At this time HBC has little information on England beyond information about the British royal family. The numbers of available photographic images of boys in dresses drop sharply after age 5-6 years. This is an assessment based on the available photograpic images. The English princes appear to have been breeched at about 5 years of age. HBC has, however, no details on how breeching was handled in the royal family. This was probably the norm, at least among upper and middle class Britons. Working class boys were probably breached earlier.

Gender

Many images of English boyswearing dresses look to be garments that just as easily could have been worn by girls with the same neck lines and styling. Later in the 19th century some more plain styles for boys developed. Not all mothers, howrver, used the plainer, less ornate styles.

Pantalettes

We note that English children, bith boys and girls, commonly wore dresses with pantalettes. This is obvious in many cases as the pantalettes were meant to show below the hem of the dress, first to civer the legs and later as more of a stylistic fashion. We believe that many children wearing dresses where the oantalettes did not show were also wearing them.

Breaching

A few available images does show that some boys continued to wear dresses beyond the normal breeching age of 4 to 6 years of age. It is likely that fewer older boys wore dresses than in the rest of Europe--especially across the Channel in France. As in America, some boys had their hair cut before breaching, at breachingh, or after breaching. The apttern varied widely from family to family.

English Trends

It is likely that fewer older boys wore dresses than in the rest of Europe--especially across the Channel in France.

Boarding schools

This may in part be because it was very common in the 19th century, especially by the late 19th century, for British boys from affluent families to be sent to boarding school, often beginning at about 8 years of age. Thus there breeching would have to take place a least by this age. While younger boys of all social and economic classes wore dresses in the 19th century, it was primarily the boys from affluent families that wore them beyond the normal age of breeching. Such boys might still be educated at home with governesses and tutors.

Other factors

Other factors besides going to boarding school may have been ibvolved in England, but HBC has not yet been able to identify them.

Individual Boys

We note several individual English boys wearing dresses. In several cases these are not boys that we can idebtify, but we have been able to obtain some information about them. In other instances we know a good bit about them.

Created: April 8, 2000
Last updated: 5:54 AM 7/29/2004