Figure 1.--This is an American tintype, but we have no more information about it. We would guess it was taken in the 1880s, but the early-90s is possible. Note the very basic studio set. There was an effort to colorize the chair.

Going barefoot was very common in the 1880s. This does not show up for the most part in the photographic record which was still primarily studio photography. There were not yet any family snapshots. A few photographic enthusiasts took photographs out of the studio, but there were not many. and much of this was to photography impressive landscape, landmarks, or stately buildings. Photography out of the studio required transporting a complicated set up equipment, plates, and and chemicals that required a real effort. It was not only complicated, but expensive. Technical advances made it somewhat easier, but it was still not something that the average person could do. Thus we have to rely mostly on studio photography which can be misleading. Mothers mostly wanted their children dressed up properly to make a good appearance. And this included wearing shoes. We see a few examples of barefoot boys in studio photography during the 1880s, but not very many. And the examples we have found are mostly from what look like very basic studios with low-income clientele. Here we are largely referring ti very basic studio sets. Photographic technology was advancing and photographs taken outside the studio would have been more likely to show boys going barefoot. Going barefoot continued to be common, especially in the countryside, but even in the cities many younger er boys from working-class families went barefoot during the summer. Urbanization was proceeding a apace. At the beginning of the decade, urbanization was approaching 30 percent of the American population. It surpassed one-third of the population by the end of the decade. America began to industrialize at mid-century. By the 1880s America was becoming a major industrial power approaching parity with the major European powers. School photography was becoming more common. We have more 1880s school images. Most images show the children wearing shoes to school. We note many boys barefoot at some mostly rural schools. Thus was especially the case in poorer areas. One source writing about the Ozarks explains, "All year till frost everybody [meaning all the children] went barefooted to school. We just had two pair of shoes a year. Get a pair in the winter and then in the spring of the year when they got kinda ragged we got a pair of what they called Sunday shoes to wear through the summer." A variety of factors seem to be involved, including regional, demographic, seasonal, and social-class factors. Gender was also a factor. We note both boys and girls going barefoot, but it was most common with boys. Most footwear by the 1880s was factory made. Shoes were the most expensive garment and thus going barefoot was most common in the countryside and among the urban working class.

Prevalence

Going barefoot was very common in the 1880s. A factor to consider is that most people at the time lived in rural areas. This not only meant lower income levels, but rural conditions are harder on footwear than urban conditions with sidewalks and developed streets. In addition, city children tended to spend more time indoors than rural children.

Studio Photography

The number of children going barefoot does not show up for the most part in the photographic record which was still primarily studio photography. There were not yet any family snapshots. A few photographic enthusiasts took photographs out of the studio, but there were not many. and much of this was to photography impressive landscape, landmarks, or stately buildings. Photography out of the studio required transporting a complicated set up equipment, plates, and and chemicals that required a real effort. It was not only complicated, but expensive. Technical advances made it somewhat easier, but it was still not something that the average person could do. Thus we have to rely mostly on studio photography which can be misleading. Mothers mostly wanted their children dressed up properly to make a good appearance. And this included wearing shoes. We see a few examples of barefoot boys in studio photography during the 1880s, but not very many. And the examples we have found are mostly from what look like very basic studios with low-income clientele. Here we are largely referring to very basic studio sets. Photographic technology was advancing and photographs taken outside the studio would have been more likely to show boys going barefoot. One indication of the improving technology is that in the 1880s we begin to see itinerant photographers taking photographs at people's houses.

Urbanization/Industrialization

Going barefoot continued to be common, especially in the countryside, but even in the cities many younger er boys from working-class families went barefoot during the summer. Urbanization was proceeding a apace. At the beginning of the decade, urbanization was approaching 30 percent of the American population. It surpassed one-third of the population by the end of the decade. America began to industrialize at mid-century. By the 1880s America was becoming a major industrial power house approaching parity with the major European powers. Contrary to modern woke thought, industrialization meant that Americans were living increasingly prosperous lives, Which is why European immigrants were flooding into the country. And as prosperity was improving, more families could afford to dress better and to dress their children better. Also mass production of ready made clothing was reducing the relative cost of clothing. Thus more children were wearing shoes than in most other countries and proportionally many more than in the early-19th century.

Schools

School photograph is useful in that the images are often dated. School photography was becoming more common by the 1880s. America had a fine public school system, in many ways more rigorous than many modern schools. America had a higher level of school attendance than almost all other countries. Germany may have been an exception. We have quite a number of 1880s school images. Most of these images show the children wearing shoes to school. Of course school was structured so that classes were held primarily during the fall and winter and not during the warmer summer months. We do note many boys barefoot at some mostly rural schools.

Long Stockings

Long stockings were very common in America. They were also widely worn in Europe, but not to the extent that they were worn in America. A factor in wearing long stockings was the climate. The weather in northern Europe can get very cold. Thus long stockings were also very common in northern Europe and continued to do so into the mid-20th century. But in countries with more moderate climates we see younger children wearing socks. As modesty was also an issue, this as normally just the younger children, both boys and girls. In the early-19th century, this issue was partially resolved with pantalettes. America was very different. We see relatively few images of American children, even the very youngest, wearing socks in the 19th century. The difference being that socks did not cover the child's knees. This included children in even the southern states who also wore long stockings despite the warmer weather. There was an excretion to this, boys and girls commonly went barefoot. This was acceptable, but wearing socks appaentky was not. This was less apparent at mid-century when most boys were still wearing long pants, but by the 1880s, knee pants had become standard for boys and we do not see them wearing socks. This divergence can help to identify the origin of old photographs for which no information is available.

Important Factors

A variety of factors seem to be involved, including regional, demographic, seasonal, and social-class factors. A lot of the images of barefoot children come from the South. The southern states were the poorest region of the country. And also the most rural. In addition, the warmer climate mean that was possible to go barefoot most of the year. Gender was also a factor. We note both boys and girls going barefoot, but it was most common with boys. Most footwear by the 1880s was factory made. Shoes were the most expensive garment and thus going barefoot was most common in the countryside and among the urban working class.