Figure 1.--This cabinet card can be dated by the mount style to the 1900s. We thought at first that it might be a copy of a Dag or Ambro, but the piece of furniture rules that out. The boys are wearing two matching checkered dresses. They look to be about 2-4 years old.

Age trends varied from family to family. Boys were breeched before beginning school at age 6 years. By this time public education was establishedd beginning at age 6 years in first grade. Some children began kindergarten at age 5 years. We see younger and younger boys wearing dresses. But as this was a family decesion we do still see a few older boys including 4 and 5-year olds. But by the 1900s decade we mostly see mostly very young boys. The boys tended to be younger boys or perhaps fewer boys from the upper end of the age group which commonly wore dresses. Any older boys wearing dresses would have had to be boys being educated at home. And this would have been a small mumber. One compolication here are tunics which were very popular in the 1900s. We do see somewhat older boys wrearing them, but as far as we can tell no school age boys. An example is Harold Howes in 1903. Another example of a younger boy is Malcomb Overbagh who looks to be about 2 years old. We notice 4-year old Wayne Mayo wearing a bright plaid dress in 1903. We also see two unidentified cherboard boys that look to be about 2-4 years old (figure 1).

1 Year Olds

It was still coomon for reallu yoing boys such as 1-year olds to wear dresses. The convention of boys wearing dresses began to declime in the late-19th century anmd was going out of fashion by thev 1900s decade. The really young boys were the only exception left. We note two Missori siblings about 1-3 years old wearing similarskirted outfits in 1903. We note tunic suit becoming popular for American boys at the turn of the century, but the ready made tunic suits see to mostly begin for sizes 2 1/2-3 years. But here we note a boy who wears a tunic-styled dress that looks to be about about 1 year old. His older sister wears a coordinared dress, but without the tunic features.

2 Year Olds

Another example of a younger boy is Malcomb Overbagh who looks to be about 2 years old.

3 Year Olds

One compolication here are tunics whicg were very popular in the 1900s. We do see somewhat older boys wrearing them, but as far as we can tell not that nany school age boys. This we can monitor because school photogrphy had become such a well-established tradition. An example is Harold Howes in 1903.

4 Year Olds

We see younger and younger boys wearing dresses. But as this was a family decesion we do still see a few older boys including 4 and 5-year olds. But by the 1900s decade we mostly see mostly very young boys. We notice 4-year old Wayne Mayo wearing a bright plaid dress in 1903. We also see two unidentified cherboard boys that look to be about 2-4 years old (figure 1).

5 Year Olds

Created: 12:38 AM 9/14/2020
Last updated: 10:06 PM 1/11/2024