Figure 1.--A HBC contributor has created some beautiful drawings to help illustrate our HBC website. Here is his depiction of an English boy wearing a tunic outfit during the 1850s. His peaked cap is a military style based on British army uniforms worn during the Crimean War era. We would call the outfit a tunic, but many other terms were used in the 19th centuy. We notice one source describing the garment as 'jacket bodies with a basque'. The basque refers to a closely fitted bodice or jacket extending past the waistline over the hips and became cused mostly as lingerie. In this case the reference probanly refers to the definded waistline. There are full chemise sleeves, a popular style through the 1850s. In this case they balooning extended to the wrist. The skirt of the tunic reach to the knees. They are worn with pantalettes and white stockings. This was was a style for younger pre-school boys. The tunic is a bright red. We are not sure how accurate that is. Our information on tunic color is very limited. One source suggests a plaid might be used, reflecting how Queen Victoria popularized all things Scottish. Illustrator: Saber Alexander McConnell.

We are not entirely sure about the age conventions for wearing tunics and tunic suits in England. As there are very few images for the early- and mid-19th century, we do not have the sources needed to assess age. We note younger school boys depicted wearing tunic suits. Even after photography was invented (1839), realtively few Daguerreotypes and other early format photographs were taken in England. Thus we do not have a photographic record to assess until about 1860. We have far fewer images than for Ameruca to use in making age assessments. As far as we can tell English boys wore tunics to about age 10 years, perhaps a little older in the early-19th century. This varied from family to family and was entirely at mothers discression. Younger boys through mid-century might wear their tinic suits with psntalettes. Notable popular conventions do not seem to have become important until the late-19th century. It was a style worn afrer breeching which means about 3-4 years of age. This begin to change in the 1880s when we see fewer older boys wearing tunics. And by the turn-of the 20th century they were mostly worn by pre-school boys.

4 Year Olds

Younger boys through mid-century might wear their tunic suits with pantalettes. Boys younger than about 4 years ols would be more likely to wear dresses. Notable popular conventions do not seem to have become important until the late-19th century. It was a style worn afrer breeching which means about 3-4 years of age. This begin to change in the 1880s when we see fewer older boys wearing tunics. And by the turn-of the 20th century they were mostly worn by pre-school boys. We notice one of the Bean boys standing by his trusty hobby horse wearing a blue tunic (1829). He looks tto be bout 4 years old.

5 Year Olds

We notice an unidentified London boy wearing a blue tunic in the 1850s. A he is a pre-school boy that has not yet been breeched, he weaes nboth pettucoats and pantalettes with his tunic. And unlike American boys, wears socks rather than ;pmg stockings. long stockings.

6 Year Olds

We note a portait of Henry Ekton, wearing a blue tunic. He was about 6 years old when the portrait was painted.

7 Year Olds

8 Year Olds

We notice an unidenhtified Scottish boy about 8 years wearing a tunic suit in the 1860s. We suspect that the conventions in England were very similar to Scotland.

10 Year Olds

As far as we can tell English boys wore tunics to about age 10 years, perhaps a little older in the early-19th century. This varied from family to family and was entirely at mothers discression.

Sources

Created: 2:26 AM 7/14/2011
Last updated: 7:51 AM 9/27/2021