Figure 1.--This tintype is undated, but looks likethe 1890s to us. There are four children picture. The two oldest are obviously a boy and girl wearing a suit and white dress. The youngest child is obviusly a boy. It is the remaining child wearing anotger white dress certainly looks like a boy. But the flowered hat and the fact that the younger boy isearing a suit, but mean that this is a second girl. Only if cousinsare mixed could this be a boy.

Both boys and girls wore skirted garments in America. The gender conventions varied for the different garments. There is a huge photographic record beginning in the mid-19th century which provides insights on shirted garments and the gender conventions ibvolved. This includes all the different skirted garments. The major problem in assessing the record is that usually the children are not identified. Gender can often be assessed even when the children are not identified, but in many instances we are left to wonder.

Created: 2:31 AM 3/29/2009
Last updated: 3:57 AM 8/24/2014