Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows an unidentified child who looks to be about 8 or 9 years old. We think the child is a boy, but we are not positive. The garment seems to be a kind of cross between a tunic and a dress which he wears with pantalettes. Notie the wide half sleves and blouse sleeves. This is a style more assiciated with the 1850s. The portrait is undated, but looks like the 1860s which is in part confirmed by the squarw corners of the mount. The studio was A. Crespon in Nimes, Provence.

Our chronological information on pantlettes is limited, but we have begun to build some basic information. We believe that French boys commonly worn pantalettes in the first half of the 19th Century, at least boys in families with means. It was probably not so common for working-class boys. The same was the case in America and England, but not as common. Our information on the early-19th century is very limited. We know more about mid-century because of the invention of photography. We see boys still wearing pantalettes at mid-century. They were worn with both dresses and tunics. And in available photographs the difference between dresses and tunics seems somewhat blurred. Chronologiacal trends for pantelettes in Frannce seem quite similar to those in America and England, based on the limited French image archive we have at this time. We note Louis Dubois wearing a tunic outfit with pantalettes in the late-1870s. Tghe popularity of pantlettes declined at mid-century, at least pantalettes that were worn long below skirted garments and pants.

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Created: 10:00 AM 2/12/2013
Last updated: 10:00 AM 2/12/2013