Figure 1.--This unattributed painting has been dated to the 1830s. It is proably English. Note the large, but soft collar. It is buttoned, but not worn with a bow. Also note the bright patterened jacket.

A new fashion of imagniative fancy dress for boys appeared in the 1830s. Both young boys and girls wore pants like pantalettes and they were more vissible during the 1830s as hem lines for children were rising. Young boys wore tunics, older boys wore Eton jackets. One source reports the sailor suit appeared for small boys, but HBC does not begin seeing sailor suits until the 1840s. Elaborate fancy costumes for boys grew in popularity during the 19th century, culminating in the Fauntleroy suit of the 1880s and 90s. Dresses by the 1830s included printed cottons with high tucked waists and gigot (leg of mutton) sleeves. Many fashions of the early 19th century seemingly come directly out of the pages of a story-book. Children’s clothes were similar for boys and girls until about the age of 6 years. A really delightful selection of printed cottons with high tucked waists and gigot sleeves appeared in the 1830s. Both boys and girls wore dresses of cotton or wool around the house. Little girls often wore pantalettes peeking beneath their dresses. Some boys also wore their dress over "drawers" or pantalettes to match, which showed beneath the dress. Both young boys and girls wore pinafores in the 1830s to protect their clothing--which was stillmuch more expensive in relative terms. We still have only limited information on smocks in the 1830s. They appear to have been more of an adult than a child's garment. Agricultural and other workers commonly wore smocks, although this varies among countries. Smocks appear to have been very common in England. Corsets for young children by the 1830s had gone out of style, though there were a few die-hards who insisted on keeping children in stays from infancy, so they would develop straight backs. Most physicians, however, and magazine consultants, argued against this as being too confining, and in fact inhibiting of a strong body. Free exercise of the little muscles was better. For this reason, they advised against swaddling infants, as had long been the custom. Infant garments were long gowns, and babies always wore caps. Some mothers decided on more boyish tunics for their sons. A boy in the 1830s still commonly wore tunics. A typical tunic might be made of earth brown sateen trimmed with dark blue braid. Tunics came in a wide range of colors, fabrics and designs. They were back, side, and front buttoning. One author describes a tunic of earth brown sateen trimmed with dark blue braid. Others were much more simple. He might also wear a little green silk pelisse (coat) which is complemented by a big white "puffed" cap, seemingly out of a story-book. Younger boys might wear pantaletes with their tunics. Otlder boys might wear trousers. As such the tunic was a kind of bridge between the dresses of younger boys and the trouser suits of older boys. We note boys wearing large collars The open collars of the early 19th century are becoming less common, but the tightly buttoned collars and large bows of later years have not yet appeared, bit has the stiff Eton collar become importnat yet. We note boys wearing javkets in bright colors and bold prints, but are not yet sure how common this was. Boys as well as men mostly wore long trousers in the 1830s. The kneebreeches men once wore had largely disapperaed for men. And the various kinds of shortened pants for boys had not yet appeared.

Dresses

Dresses by the 1830s included printed cottons with high tucked waists and gigot (leg of mutton) sleeves. Many fashions of the early 19th century seemingly come directly out of the pages of a story-book. Children’s clothes were similar for boys and girls until about the age of 6 years. A really delightful selection of printed cottons with high tucked waists and gigot sleeves appeared in the 1830s. Both boys and girls wore dresses of cotton or wool around the house. Little girls often wore pantalettes peeking beneath their dresses. Some boys also wore their dress over "drawers" or pantalettes to match, which showed beneath the dress. Pantalettes were becoming less common for boys, but many boys wore them. Pantalettes were worn earlier, but were much more prominent in the 1830s because of rising hemlines for children's dresses. The usual child s dress was long or short sleeved to suit the season, with slim sleeve, round or boat-shaped neck and the waist was lightly fitted with a set-in belt. Preferred fabrics were linen and cotton, for ease of care. There were still no photographic images to illustrate these styles, but paintings do exist--although the fact that little boys and girls wore almost identical dresses, it is usually very difficult to identify gender. One excellent painting showing the dresses worn by young childern is A good example is acques-Laurent Agasse's, The Playground (1830). In the foreground of the picture is a boy of about 13 or 14 in clearly boys' clothes, a military-like cap and long trousers. To his left two younger children play around a wheelbarrow and farm implements. There is good reason to believe that both the younger children are probably boys, based primarily on their roughhousing with the wheelbarrow. Notice the two girls further back in the painting. One of these girls has a hat and the other is in a white dress, sitting on the ground and talking. Little girls are very verbal and typically cluster together to chat. This can be seen even today in school playgrounds. Boys in contrast seem to prefer activities involving motion, which is also observeable in modern playgrounds. Of course it impossible to tell with certainty. The clothes do not provide definite clues, but they do show how little boys and little girls were dressed in the 1830s: long dresses, pinafores, pantalettes, white ankle socks, and slipper-like shoes. We do have some examples of boys wearing dresses in the 1830s. A German painter has provided us an interesting look at the Fischer children in 1838.

Pinafores

Both young boys and girls wore pinafores in the 1830s to protect their clothing--which was stillmuch more expensive in relative terms.

Smocks

We still have only limited information on smocks in the 1830s. They appear to have been more of an adut than a child's garment. Agricultural and other workers commonly wore smocks, although this varies among countries. Smocks appear to have been very common in England.

Corsets

Corsets for young children by the 1830s had gone out of style, though there were a few die-hards who insisted on keeping children in stays from infancy, so they would develop straight backs. Most physicians, however, and magazine consultants, argued against this as being too confining, and in fact inhibiting of a strong body. Free exercise of the little muscles was better. For this reason, they advised against swaddling infants, as had long been the custom. Infant garments were long gowns, and babies always wore caps.

Tunics

Some mothers decided on more boyish tunics for their sons. A boy in the 1830s still commonly wore tunics. A typical tunic might be made of earth brown sateen trimmed with dark blue braid. Tunics came in a wide range of colors, fabrics and designs. They were back, side, and front buttoning. One author describes a tunic of earth brown sateen trimmed with dark blue braid. Others were much more simple. He might also wear a little green silk pelisse (coat) which is complemented by a big white "puffed" cap, seemingly out of a story-book. Younger boys might wear pantaletes with their tunics. Otlder boys might wear trousers. As such the tunic was a kind of bridge between the dresses of younger boys and the trouser suits of older boys. We have few images of 1830s tunics, but a 1829 painting offers a good view of the styles worn at the beginning of the decade.

Shirts and collars

We note boys wearing large collars The open collars of the early 19th century are becoming less common, but the tightly buttoned collars and large bows of later years have not yet appeared, but has the stiff Eton collar become importnat yet. The detacchable collar has not yet been invented.

Jackets

We note boys wearing javkets in bright colors and bold prints, but are not yet sure how common this was.

Trousers

Boys as well as men mostly wore long trousers in the 1830s. The kneebreeches men once wore had largely disapperaed for men. And the various kinds of shortened pants for boys had not yet appeared.

Created: September 12, 2003
Last updated: September 12, 2003