|
Some younger boys wore dresses, but this was much less common in the 20th century, especially by the 1910s. There were a variety of outfits for younger boys. Younger boys wore rompers, tunics, Oliver Twist suits, sailor suits and other outfits. A very popular style for boys Tom age was the tunic suit. We also see many boys wearing a variety of button-on outfits such as Oliver Twist and sailor suits. A very popular style for boys' Tom age was the tunic suit. We note Russian blouse/tunic suits for boys from 2 1/2 up to 6 years of age. We also see many boys wearing button-on outfits such as Oliver Twist suits because the button-on styling was rather like the skeleton suits worn in the early 19th century (the era in which Dickens set Oliver Twist). Button on styles were increasingly popular in the 1910s and the Oliver Twist suits are a primary example of this. Sailor suits were also made with button-on styling. Wide brimmed hats were popular, but were often turned down. This is a destinctive style for the 1910s. Soft sailor caps were also worn, some rather like tams. We have chosen a romper suit for Tom, but is just one of several different suits he might have worn. Boys and girls both wore rompers, the only outfit that both could have worn. Romper suits were made in different style and a wide range of detailing. A variety of cap styles were worn, but the flat cap was the most popular style for school-age boys. Younger boys like Tom often wore strap shoes, the ankle strap shoe was a popular choice when dressing up.
Some younger boys wore dresses, but this was much less common in the 20th century, especially by the 1910s. There were a variety of outfits for younger boys. Younger boys wore rompers, tunics, Oliver Twist suits, sailor suits and other outfits. A very popular style for boys Tom age was the tunic suit. We also see many boys wearing a variety of button-on outfits such as Oliver Twist and sailor suits. A very popular style for boys' Tom age was the tunic suit. We note Russian blouse/tunic suits for boys from 2 1/2 up to 6 years of age. We also see many boys wearing button-on outfits such as Oliver Twist suits because the button-on styling was rather like the skeleton suits worn in the early 19th century (the era in which Dickens set Oliver Twist). Button on styles were increasingly popular in the 1910s and the Oliver Twist suits are a primary example of this. Sailor suits were also made with button-on styling.
We have chosen a romper suit for Tom, but is just one of several different suits he might have worn. Boys and girls both wore rompers, the only outfit that both could have worn. Romper suits were made in different style and a wide range of detailing. A variety of cap styles were worn, but the flat cap was the most popular style for school-age boys. Wide brimmed hats were popular, but were often turned down. This is a destinctive style for the 1910s. Soft sailor caps were also worn, some rather like tams. Younger boys like Tom often wore strap shoes, the ankle strap shoe was a popular choice when dressing up.
A variety of headwear styles were worn, but the flat cap was the most popular style for school-age boys. Caps were becoming increasingly popular for boys. One type of hat dod conginued to be worn--the wide-brimmed sailor hat. Wide brimmed hats were popular, but were often turned down. Here the entire brim might be turned down. We have also noted boys wearing it with the brim turned down, but one side turned up in arather sporty style. The down-turned brim is a destinctive style for the 1910s. Tom wears a blue hat with white trim. Soft sailor caps were also worn, some rather like tams.
We have chosen a romper suit for Tom, but is just one of several different suits he might have worn. Boys and girls both wore rompers, the only outfit that both could have worn. Romper suits were made in different style and a wide range of detailing. The romper was a one-piece suit with the top joined to the bottom. They buttoned at the back which allowed the child to step into them. There was also a drop-down seat. Most came with a belt which usually butoned to tthe top of the drop-down seat. The belt was not used to constrict the garment at the waist as would become common for rompers by the 1930s. We use the term romper to mean the one picce suits with balloon pants and elastic leg openings. Rompersuits came with a range of collars. We have choesn a simple, small collar for Tom whose romper suit was a utilitarian play suit. Some romper suits were fancier than the one Tom wears, but the photographic record suggests that rompers were generally seen as playwear and not for dressing up. We note that in the 1910s the term "rompers" was often used to describe outfits generally for younger boys. I am not entirely sure, but I think the term connotes a play outfit that a small child could wear to romp about. We do not see children wearing them to school, although they were made in sizes up to 6-7 years of age. We do not note very mny boys that age wearing them in the photographic record. Tom's suit is a brown one. Often they were made with trim in a contrasting color. It would have been a useful play suit that did not show the dirt very well.
We note boys wearing romper suits with diffeent hosiery, usually white. Some boys wore long stockings. This would have been common in cool weather. This was quite common. We have see boys wearing socks. Most commonly we note three-quater socks. Knee socks and ankle socks were not yet very common.
Younger boys like Tom often wore strap shoes, the ankle strap shoe was a popular choice during the 1910s. We see them being worn with dressy outfits, We also see younger children wearing them as atandard form of footwear. Thus we have chosen them for tom. We also note instep strap shoes and sandles worn with rompers. We do not note children commonly wearing rompers with high-top shoes.
HBC
|
Album1900
|
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site Getting Dressed Pages:
[Return to the Main 1910s outerwear page]
[Return to the Main U.S. Getting Dressed page]
[Main 1910s underwear page]
[Main 1910s support/hosiery page]
[Main 1910s outerwear page]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site Related Pages:
[U.S. 1890 catalog pages]
[U.S. 1900 catalog pages]
[U.S 1910 catalog pages]
[U.S. late 19th century page]
[U.S. 1900s page]
[U.S 1910 page]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main U.S. Getting Dressed 1910s chronology page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Essays]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[ Boys' Clothing Home]
