Figure 1.--Here we see a Michigan family with boys from about 2-11 yeats pf age wearing age-graded clothing from a dress to a lapel suit. In beyween the moddle boys wear lace collars and floppy bows. Notice that their hair is all done alike. Some mothers varied hair styles by age levels as well. The cabinet card portrait is undated, but the mount charactetistics suggest it was taken about 1890. The studio was Conat's Riverside Gallery in Manistee, Michigan.

Age grading was very common in the 19th century at least in the late-19th century. We do not, however, have a lot of information on the early-19th centuty. Our general impression is that age grading was not very common, but our information is still very limited. Photography by the mid-19th century provides counless images which provide a great deal of material allowing us to follow fashion trends more carefully, including age grading tends. We do not see age grading as a major fashion conventions. There were different kinds of outfits, but primarily with fashionable city families. This begins to change dramatically in the 1880s. We begin to see not only different outfits, but the use of collars and neckwear as wll as hats to accentuate age differences after mod-century, especially by the 1860s. The photographic record demonstrate just how wide spread this practice was. In the period before mass media, there were substantial differences from family to family. Thus it was iup to mother to create her own approach to this. The mother decided such matters for the younger children. And mothers could have very different attitudes about such matters. Some mothers wanted to keep their sons like little boys while other mothers were quite willing to dress their sons in the styles for older boys. Father would have more say for the older boys. They also had varied attitudes, but not as varied as mothers.

The 1800s

Age grading was very common in the 19th century at least in the late-19th century. We do not, however, have a lot of information on the early-19th centuty. Our general impression is that age grading was not very common, but our information is still very limited.

The 1850s

Photography by the mid-19th century provides counless images which provide a great deal of material allowing us to follow fashion trends more carefully, including age grading tends. We first see photographic images in1839 and gradually we see greater numbers during the 1849s fiest with the Daguerreityoe and gradually new formats. We do not see age grading as a major fashion conventions.

The 1860s

The CDV and cabinet card of the 1860s exponentially changed the number of images available, especially in America. There were different kinds of outfits. Younger boys wore cut-away jackets. , but primarily with fashionable city We begin to see not only different outfits, but the use of collars and neckwear as well as hats to accentuate age differences after mid-century, especially by the 1860s. And we begin to see shoten-length oants for younger boys. Although long pants stillm predominated. The photographic record demonstrate just how wide spread this practice was.

The 1880s

The prevalence of age grading begins to change dramatically in the 1880s. We see shortened length pants increasingly being used for age grading. But even more important was Mrs. Burnett's book, Littkle Lord Fauntleroy which launvhed the Fauntkeroy craze. All kinds of eklements becanme popular. We see increasingky karrge collars, including lace and ruffkes. Fancy blouses appeared and the cut-sawy jacket to display them became nore common. The floppy bow grew in size and prevakence. Long hair abd curls becane popular for younger boys. A range of hats also became popular for younger boys.

The 1890s

In the period before mass media, there were substantial differences from family to family. Thus it was up to mother to create her own approach to this. The mother decided such matters for the younger children. And mothers could have very different attitudes about such matters. Some mothers wanted to keep their sons like little boys while other mothers were quite willing to dress their sons in the styles for older boys. Father would have more say for the older boys. They also had varied attitudes, but not as varied as mothers. Any mothers had a reat deal to work wih during the 1890s. This was the peak of the Fauntleroy era. There was a vurtual arms race of fancy dressing wagged bybmothers durung the decade. Motherscused theie boys to demonstrate family affuence as the American indudtrial economy raced ahead. Huge ruffeled and lace collars as well as floppy bows were oopular. There were proper Fauntleroy suits as wll as regular suits to which Fauntleroy trim could be added. We also notice cllar-buttoning jackets for younger boys and lael jacket sack suits for older boys. The boys here are aood examole (figure 1). Knee pants had become standard by the 1890s and actually became knee-length garments. The length of the knee pants wee not used fir age grading. Thus was more a function of cganging styles. They were less useful for age grading, at least for school-age boys. They were used for age grading teenagers.

Created: 5:36 AM 12/14/2012
Last updated: 5:37 AM 12/14/2012