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The tunic suit became a major style for boys at the the turn-of-the 20th century. By 1905 we see boys commonly wearing them. There are many examples in both the photographic record and popular magazine illustrations. They were also used to outfit the iconic Buster Browb. We also see etensive offerings in the major clothing catalogs and pattern publications. The tunic suits were offered in several different styles and described by a variety of terms, includung Buster Brown suits and Russian military blouse suits. We note tunic suits made for boys up to age 8 years, but we believe that they were most common with pre-school boys. They were only for boys, although eventually dresses appeared for girls that look rather like boys' tunics. Notice that they are called a variety of names, but all are in fact tunic suits.
McCalls offered several different tunic suit patterns for boys 3 to 8 years old. They are simply called 'boys' suits'. The June 1905 issue of McCalls offered a range of different summer tunic suit patterns. For some reason they were mixed in whith patterns for fancy girls' dresses. This rather suggests that thet were seen as dress wear for boys. Notice the wide-brimmed hat, wide collar and bloomer knockers wirb three-quarter socks. The cut is like a Buster Brown suit.
The Best & Co., a New York department store, offered tunic suits in 1905bwhich it called a Russian blouse suit. They were part of Best's Liliputian Bazar range which was clothing for younger boys. It was a tunic suit done with sailor styling. The ad copy read, "Russian blouse suit of naby blue and red seersucketr; collar edsged with band of white pique and four rows of white braid, white embroidery on shield [dicky], white pique belt.
Ages 2, 3, and 4 yrs. $2.35." It was offered as spring wear. The illustration show the boy wearing the tunic with long stockings. Note the age difference with the McCalls patterns. We suspect that ready-made catalogs are more accurate age indicators than patterns. We do not know if Best also offered tunic suits for older boys in its catalog. The photographic record shows older boys than 4 years wearing tgunic suits, but we are not sure about the popular age conventions in 1905.
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