*
boys' dresses United States of America specific patterns plaid chronology
American Plaid Dresses: Chronology
Figure 1.--This tin-type portrait shows an unidentified American boy wearing a plaid dress. The dress has a large white Eton collar, presumably a detachable collar. The dress has a dropped waist and a military style bibbed front with buttons and matching cuffs. He sports wonderful striped socks. Tin-types are difficult to date. The pose suggests to us the late-1860s or early-70s. The studio has a painted wall as backdrop and he rests his elbow on a wooden table with turned legs that has a fringed, padded tablecloth on its top.
Our chronology of American plaid dressess at this time is very limited. As far as we know, it is a 19th century phenomenon. Interestingly it is a fashion that was roughly conincident with photography which is HBC's principa; source of information. Plaid became an important pattern after Queen Victoria began outfitting the young princes in tartan kilts (1840s). This created a fashion for boys outside of Scotland wearing Highland kilts. The Higland kilt never proved very popular in America, but the related kilt suit did become a major style. A related development was that mothers began using plaid material for children's clothing. We are not sure how common this was in Britain, but we have seen English plaid dresses for boys. We know it was very common in America. Both boys and girls wore plaid dresses, but it was particularly popular for boys. We are not sure about the 1840s, but we definitely see American boys wearing plaid tunics in the 1850s. We are less sure about the 1860s, but we see quite a number of plaid dresses by the 1870s. The boy's dress here is a good example (fugure 1). We see plaid dresses in many different styles. We continue to see American boys weating plaid dresses through the 1890s. After the turn-of-the 20th century, dresses in general for boys rapidly went out of style. We still see some boys wearing plaid dresses in the 1900s. A good example is 4-year old Wayne Mayo in 1903. But by the 1910s dresses of any kind for boys were beoming much less common. We contunue, however, to see girls wearing plaid dresses. In fact the plaid dress and even more commonly the plaid skirt became a staple for girls' schoolwear throughout the 20th century.
The 18th Century
We have no information yet on the 19th century. As Scirrs vane to America in the 18th century during the colonial era, some dresses may have been done in plaos, but we gave no information at this time.
As far as we know, plaid desses are a 19th century phenomenon. We have no infirmation on the early-19th century, but with the invention of photograpgy, we do have information by mid-century. Interestingly it is a fashion that was roughly conincident with photography which is HBC's principal source of information. Plaid became an important pattern after Queen Victoria began outfitting the young princes in tartan kilts (1840s). This created a fashion for boys outside of Scotland wearing Highland kilts. The Higland kilt never proved very popular in America, but the related kilt suit did become a major style. A related development was that mothers began using plaid material for children's clothing. We are not sure how common this was in Britain, but we have seen English plaid dresses for boys. We know it was very common in America. Both boys and girls wore plaid dresses, but it was particularly popular for boys. We are not sure about the 1840s, but we definitely see American boys wearing plaid tunics in the 1850s. Mosr of the images we have found are from the secinf half of the 19th century. We think this is when plaid dressesfor boys were the most common, But id ciurse ir is also wheb phitigraphic imnafes becane increasingky common. Ogirigraog was obky inbcebted (1839). We are not real sure about the 1860s, but we see quite a number of plaid dresses by the 1870s. The boy's dress here is a good example (fugure 1). We see plaid dresses in many different styles. We continue to see American boys weating plaid dresses through the 1890s.
The 20th Century
After the turn-of-the 20th century, dresses in general for boys rapidly went out of style. We still see some boys wearing plaid dresses in the 1900s. A good example is 4-year old Wayne Mayo in 1903. But by the 1910s dresses of any kind for boys were beoming much less common. There may have been a few biys still earing plaid dresses, bur we have nit yet found any examples in the photograpic record. We contunue, however, to see girls wearing plaid dresses. In fact the plaid dress and even more commonly the plaid skirt became a staple for girls' schoolwear throughout the 20th century.
