Boys' Play Clothes: Victorian Era

Figure 1.--Many 19th Century mothers did not conceive of the modern concept of play clothes. Childern were often expected to be neat and tidy at all times.

The idea of play clothes is a relatively modern concept. Affluent mothers dressed boys through much of the 19th Century in rather elaborate dressy clothes and expected to stay neat and pesentable. Less affluent boys would be likely to wear their fathers hand down clothes, often for work as poorer children had to enter the workforce at a very early age. Protective clothes like pinafores and smocks served the purpose of modern play clothes, protecting a child's clothes.

Many mothers and especially fathers in the Victorian era thought it was their duty to prevent children from behaving like children. Often religious mandates were part of this parental philosophy. Mothers and nannies sought to keep children inactive to keep them from soiling their beautiful and often expensive clothes. Many parents, even in the lare 19th Century still clung to the idea that play was a frivolous, wasteful activity from which the child should be disuaded. Some nanies were instructed to guide the child in more appropriate activity and to discourage play.


Check: [Play 1]




Christopher Wagner

histclo@lycosmail.com



Navigate the Boys Historical Clothing play clothes pages:
[Return to the Main play clothes page]
[The 18th Century] [Early 19th Century] [Victorian Era] [Edwardian/World War I Era] [Interwar/World War II Years] [Postwar Era] [Late 20th Century]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Chronologies] [Style Index] [Biographies] [Bibliographies] [Activities] [Countries] [Contributions]
[Boys' Clothing Home]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Chronology pages:
[Main chronolgy page] [Late 18th Century] [The 1800s] [The 1810s] [The 1820s] [The 1830s] [The 1840s] [The 1850s] [The 1860s] [The 1870s] [The 1880s] [The 1890s]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pa ges:
[Short pants suits] [Blazers] [Lace collars [Fauntleroy suits]
[Sailor suits] [Ring bearer/page costumes] [First Communion suits]



Created: January 3, 1999
Last updated: January 3, 1999