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Pantalettes were commonly worn by American boys, especially boys still wearing dresses and younger boys wearing tunics during the first half of the 19th Century. Older boys wearing tunics would wear long trousers. Of course boys wearing dresses never wore trousers under them. Boys in skeleton suits also occasionally wore pantalettes. I believe the American fashion trends with pantalettes were mostly a reflection of European styles, probably English or perhaps French. Pantalettes were still worn after mid-century, but they became less increasingly less common. In the latter oart of the Century the boys still wearing pantalettes were boys wearing dresses are the increasingly common kilt suits and other kilted outfits. There are many literary references to pantalettes in America. A good example is Mark Twain's description of Becky Thacher. Almost always they are described as part of a girl's outfit. Tom Sawyer of course would not have been caught dead in them. We know from available images, however, that they were worn by American boys as well as girls. There appear to have been social class and regional differences associated with pantalettes. Boys in wealthy families were most likely to wear them, especially the fancier styles. In addition they were most common in the more urbanized Eastern seaboard cities. The work of American primitive art, however, claerly shows that pantalettes were also worn in more rural areas, but the plainer styles appear nost common there. Many of the images showing boys wearing pantalettes loaded in the pantalette section are American boys. This is not because pantalettes were more common in America, but rather because of HBC's greater access to American materials.
Pantalettes were commonly worn by American boys in the early and mid-19th century. Many of the images showing boys wearing pantalettes loaded in the pantalette section are American boys. This is not because pantalettes were more common in America, but rather because of HBC's greater access to American materials. A factor with popularity is of course income. We suspect that antalettes, especially dance pantalettes were most common with well to do familes, those most likely to able able to afford painted portraits. And even though photography brought down the cost of portrait, we believe the well-to do are still over represented in the available 19th century images. The great economic progress made by the United tates in the 19th century increased the incomes of working-class people to a greater degree than any other society in history. This is why so many Europeans flocked to America. Even so the economomic bias should be born n mine when assessing the photographic and larger image record.
Pantalettes were quite common for younger boys in the 19th century. They were worn with many different garments. Boys still wearing skirted garments (dresses, skirts, kilt suits, and tunics). The photographic record is limited during the first half of the century, and only begins in the 1840s. But we see them in early19th century paintings. They are easy to spot in the first half of the 19th century becase they common fell well below the hem of the skirted garments. It was seen as importnt to cover legs. After mid-century it becomes more difficult as the pantalettea became shorter, but are commonly setectable at the hem of skirted garments. While they were primarily worn with skirted garments, we also see some boys wearing tem with suits, especially fancy styles like Fauntleroy suits. We note an unidentified boy we think in the 1860s. We also see boys wearing kilt suits with pantalettes, although it is often difficult to tell as we usually only see a little material at the hem which also could be petticoats. Very rarely do the pantalettes/drawers coiver the legs. There are, however excedptions like Mark O. Harris in the early-1870s. It is not easy to tell if boys wearing tunics were wearing pantalettes or trousers. This is especially the case because we see boys wearing white pants thank look rather like plain drawers. A good example is a New York boy. Older boys wearing tunics would wear long trousers. Of course boys wearing dresses never wore trousers under them. Boys in skeleton suits also occasionally wore pantalettes. American boys usually wore them with long stockings. We note European boys wearing them with socks, but this was less common in America.
I believe the American fashion trends with pantalettes were mostly a reflection of European styles, probably English or perhaps French.
Pantalettes seem to have been primarily a 19th century fashion. We have, however, little informstion on the 18th centuty.Pantalettes were widely worn by American children in the first half of the 19th century. Both girls a boys wore them, at least boys not yet breeched. Gradually boys' pantalettes become plainer, but this convedntionvaried frfom family to family. Pantalettes were very common through the 1850s. Pantalettes during the early 19th century could be quite long, covering the entire leg. We think this was mostly among urban families. We are less sure about rural areas. Pantalettes were still commonly worn after mid-century, especially the 50s. We still see them in the 60s, particularly the early 60s. They begin tio decline notably by the end of the decade and the early 70s. We continue to see them in the late-19th, but they became
increasingly less common. In the latter oart of the Century the boys still wearing pantalettes were boys wearing dresses are the increasingly common kilt suits and other kilted outfits. Pantalettes not only becone less common,but they also becoe shorter. Pantalettes quickly disappear after the turn-of-the 20th century.
We do not know a lot about pantalettes colors and patterns because of our fairly limited archive of images. Most pantalettes we note are white. And we are fairly confident that this was the case. But we know that not all pantalettes were white. We think that there were some colored pantalettes, but they were much less common than the white ones. The black and white photography of the day makes it difficult to assess colors other than white. Dark colors were very rare. We also note a few pantalettes done in patterns. These almost always were done in the same pattern as the dress the child was wearing. Almost always these patterened pantalettes were to be worn with dresses and not tinics or kilt suits. We do not note them being worn with Highland kilt outfits, but suspect that un America some were, but worn so that they could not be seen.
Pantalettes were mostly worn by pre-school boys. A good example is Roy LaFolyette who looks to be about 4-5 years old.
We know from available images that pantalettes were worn by American boys as well as girls. A good example is two New York City children, presumably brother and sister, we think in the 1840s.
Pantalettes were primarily done in from breathable and durable material, most commonly linen or increasingly after the turn of the 19th century--cotton. Cotton lawn and batiste were fabrics commonly used. They were designed for both modesty and comfort and often decorated with embroidery, tucks, and/or lace, depending on the family's social standing and the occasion. More luxurious material such as silk might be used for society women. 【FIT Student】 The first pantalettes in the-late-18th century were done in linen. This was a popular choice. It was a durable fabric, suitable for daily-wear pantalettes. Medium weight fabric was usually chosen for pantalettes. By the 19th century thanks to Eli Witney's cotton gin and the Industrial Revolution in Britain, cotton became a vital material in clothing as mill production expanded. Cotton soon began replacing linen as production of cotton from the American South reached substantial levels (1820s). Many different cotton fabrics appeared. Lawn (a fine, sheer version) or batiste became widely used for pantalettes. Silk might also be used, but usually not for children. Silk was mostly used by upper-class women who could afford fine garments. We also note flannel be used during the winter in more northerly locations. This was a choice for warmth and they were generally very plain, every day pantalettes.
We believe that pantalettes were normally one piece garments with pants/trouser like construction--hence the name pantalettes. We think this was the case for the shorter-length pantalettes before dress hem lines began to rise. And when the pantalettes were white rhey were almost always done in cotton or linnen. But not all pantlettes were white. Some in fact were done in the same material as the dress. Here we might see faux pantalettes. Here we have no photographic evidence. Photography did not appear until the 1840s. And even when photography did appear, girls were of course not photographed without their dresses. Now there may be paintings illustrated this, but if there are, there are mot very many and we have not found them. But there is one useful source--vintage clothing. There is not a lot of it for the early-19th century, but examples do exist in museum nd private collections.
There appear to have been social class and regional differences associated with pantalettes. Boys in wealthy families were most likely to wear them, especially the fancier styles. In addition they were most common in the more urbanized Eastern seaboard cities. The work of American primitive art, however, claerly shows that pantalettes were also worn in more rural areas, but the plainer styles appear nost common there.
There are many literary references to pantalettes in America. A good example is Mark Twain's description of Becky Thacher. Almost always they are described as part of a girl's outfit. Tom Sawyer of course would not have been caught dead in them.
FIT Student. "Pantaledttes," fashionhistory website.
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