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We notice blouses commonly worn in the mid-19th century. So we have a substantial photographic recvord. Dags are a little difficult to date. Ambros on the other hand were mostly taken in the mid- to late- 50s and the very early-60s. Many blouses were covered by jackets, but jackets were not as common in the 50s as was the case in the rest of the century. Thankfully by the 50s we have a growing photographic record to workwith and can make out considerable detail. Generally the collars were realatively small--sometimes so small that they can barely be seen. There were a wide variety of collar styles. Younger boys might wear blouses witout collars, but sewed on frills. The tintype here is a good example (figure 1). Sleeves were all long. We also notice sleeves that balloon out worn with jackets that were cut below the elbows. A good example is the blouse worn by an unidentified boy in the mid- or late-1850s. They did not blouse out like the blouses of the 1880s. Button-on styling was prominent. The term blouse was we think not yet used. We note manyof these garments done with button styling. Other blouses just hung down and were not employed in holding up the opants. Tunics were also popular at the time. It is sometimes often difficult to destinguish between tunics and blouses, in part because so many photographs at the time primarily showed the subject's torso.
We notice blouses commonly worn in the mid-19th century thanks to the substantial photograpic recvord composed mostly of Dags, Ambros, and tintyoes. Dags are a little difficult to date so we can only guess about whether they come from the 50s. Ambros on the other hand were mostly taken in the mid- to late- 50s and the very early-60s. Many blouses were covered by jackets, but jackets were not as common in the 50s as was the case in the rest of the century. Thankfully by the 50s we have a growing photographic record to workwith and can make out the blouse elements in considerable detail.
A blouse is constructed wit many different elements. Often the collar is the most imprtant elemnt and the style of the collar commonly is used to describe the style of the blouse. Here is a discussion of those elements in the 1850s.
Some blouses for younger children, both boys and girls, were done like the bodices for dresses -- without collars and with low necklines. With dresses this included both boys and girls. We mostly see these low-necklines as part of dresses, but it is often difficult to tell if these younger children are boys or girls. With blouses the gender is more clear. Girls did not werar pants, only boys wore pants. Although with skirts we are still not so cure about gender. With pants we are. We see these low-neclines in the 1840s and 50s, but not very many in the 1860s. Low necklibes seems a strange convention to us today when dresses with low neckines are not common. And becuse at the sanme time children wearing dresses covered their legs with pantalettes. Ny the 1860s, collar buttoning blouses, dresses, and suits dominated children's fashions. But such are the vageries of fashion.
Often the collar is the most imprtant element and the style of the collar commonly is used to describe the style of the blouse. This is complicated by the adventbof detachbe blouses. Collars were often not done in the same materail as the blouse, but itbis norvenireky ckear wherthe werevdetavle or sewn on by mother. Generally the collars in the 1850s were realatively small--sometimes so small that they can barely be seen when jackets were worn. And you can see that the collar often did not eflect the material of the blouse itself. There were a wide variety of collar styles. We see both pointed and rounded tios or in the case her on tip at all. Younger boys might wear blouses witout collars, but sewed on frills. The tintype here is a good example of the small collars (figure 1).
Sleeves were all long. We also notice sleeves that balloon out worn with jackets that were cut below the elbows. A good example is the blouse worn by an unidentified boy in the mid- or late-1850s. Girls had dresses with shirt sleeces, bu boy blouses always had long sleeves. The reason for this hender difference is unknown. short-sleeved blouses and shirts would nio appear for decades.
There were bothpullover blouses rhat did not need closure and frontb buttibing closures. Buttons were not only used for closure, but part of the styling. We note many of these garments done with button styling.
Many button-up blouses were done without plackets. The boy here is a good exmple, blouse buttons with noplascket ton reinforce the button holes. .
Waist lines did not blouse out like the blouses of the 1880s. Button-on styling was prominent. The term blouse was we think not yet used. Other blouses just hung down and were not employed in holding up the pants.
Tunics were also popular at the time. It is sometimes often difficult to destinguish between tunics and blouses, in part because so many photographs at the time primarily showed the subject's torso. Which somewhat confuses our assessment.
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