Figure 1.--Here we see two unjidentified brothers. they look to be about 3-5 years old. They wear mtching light-colored knee pants tunic uit. nThe portraitis undated, but the vmount style and the relatively small floppy bow suggest the 1900s decade.

One of the most characteristic styles of the earl-20th century in America was the tunic. This was an older style that achieved new life at the turn of-the- 20th century. We see tunics throughout the 20th century, although popularity varied during the century. It was a popular style in the early-19th century, at least for boys in thegroeing cities. (It should be stressed that at tyhe time tht the gret majority of American boys lived on farms in the countryside.) UIn th years before photography, however, this is diffiucult to assess. When photography became availbke at mid century we do see boys wearing tunics. Especially popular were long patterned shitrs, often belted. We see more tailored tunics in subsequent decades. We see very few in the late-19th century, but not very many. Then all of a sudden at the turn-of-the 20th century, we see large numbers of boys waeing tunics, dine in various styles and colors as well as a range of material for both summer and winter wear. We see more boys wearing tunics in the 1900s and 10s than at any time in the 19th century. We do not see many in the 1890s, but suddently at the turn-of-the 20 century, tunics became a major boys' style, lthough this was more of a middle-class hn a working-class style. Tunics continud to be a style primarily worn by fashionble irbn families.

Created: 3:11 PM 7/7/2022
Last updated: 3:11 PM 7/7/2022