Historical Reinaction: Early 1900s


Figure 1.--Boys participating in an Independece Day parade representing the era after the turn of the century. Sailor suits are often a popular choice for the boys.

A popular era for reinactors is the first few decades of the 20th century. The popular imagination looks to turn of the century America up to World War I as a simple, almost innocent time in American history. The actual facts were quite different for many working class Americans, but the innocent, uncomplicated image sticks in the public mind. The reinactions are often done as a family activity with the wife and children also dressing up. Men during this period often dress up in the straw hat outfits of barber shop quartets. Women anf girls enjoy the elaborate long dresses. For boys it is a bit more complicated, as some of the common styles for boys such as Buster Brown and Fauntleroy suits, rompers, and kilts are usually firmly rejected by today's boy concerned with his image. Usually reinactors settle on the sailor suit for the boys who appear to accept it as the least unpalitable of the avilable alternayives.


Figure 2.--Boys participating in an Independece Day parade representing the era after the turn of the century. Note the floppy hat worn with rhe sailor suit.

Some of the common events for turn-of-the-centuty reinactors are old time car rallies. Fourth of July Independence parades are also popular events. Many other types of parades also have turn-of the-century reinactors. A varirty of events planned by local historical society productions also require historical reinactors.






Related Links: Careful, this will exit you from Boys' Historical Clothes
Canadian fashions: Some interesting images on how Canadian children dressed at the turn of the century
Mom: Some interesting images on how mom dressed








Christopher Wagner






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Created: August 28, 1999
Last updated: June 2, 2000