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We think many boy were breeched at about 4 years of age. We begin to see more boys wearing trousers by age 5 years. This suggests that they were brreched at age 4 or 5 years of age. Here we not only have portraits of boys wearing trousers at age 4 and even mote so ar age 5 yeatrs. Even more useful are family portraits. A good examplr is Illinois family portrait, probably taken in late-1893 shows four brother. We do not know their last name, bu we do known their first names and when they were born: Leland (February 7, 1885). Sam (September 19, 1887), Wilbur (May 26, 1890), and Richard (March 31, 1892), The studio was Erikson in Rockford, Illinois. The portrait was taken February 27, 1893. This photo sugggests that the boys were breeched about 3-4 years of age. It is difficult to tell because we are not sure what Sam is wearing. We also have a New York family portrait showing boys (Horace, Malcomb, and Arthur) at ages 1-5 years old (figure 1). Of course we are not sure if Horace was breeched at age 4 or 5 years.The photographer was McNabb, a high-end Broadway studio. Unfortunately we do not know their family name, but we do know when the portrait was taken (July 22, 1894). The two yonger boys wear skirted grments, but only the oldest boy wears knee pants. While we can tell from the photographic record that many 4 year olds were breeched. Malcomb wears a Fauntlkeroy kilt suit. Arthur wears a knee pants suit with a cut-away jacket. Both boys wear black long xtockings. We are not sure just when the boys were photographed. Some may have been breeched on their birthdays, but we are not sure just how common this was.
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