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We have found many photographs of American boys wearing tunics at 3 years of age. This varies significantly over time. Our information on early 19th century tunics is limited. We suspect, however, that not too many 3 years old wore tunics in the early- and mid-19th century. Although age 3 was the age that some families breeched boys, so there may have been some boys wearing them. We know much more about the early 20th century. At the turn-of-the 20th century we notice quite a number of boys who were 3 years old or looked about 3 wearing tunic suits.
Here both the photograph record and clothing catalogs provide useful information. The popularity of tunic suits for 3 year olds is confirmed by clothing catalogs. Almost all catalogs included 3 year olds within the age range for the tunic sights they offered. We note Ellis Gray Holden wearing a sailor tunic at age 3 in 1908. This is confirmed by clothing catalogs. A good example is the Montgomery Wards 1914 pages on tunic suits which are offered in sizes for boys from 2 1/2 to 7 years of age. Catalogs provide somewhat varied age ranges, but the general range is very similar. This is generally confirmed by the photographic record. We notice, however, more photographs of boys wearing tunic suits in the pre-school years, especially boys from about 3-5 years of age. New Ideas Magazine show a fancy boy's tunic suit. The illustration suggest a boy about 3 years old. We have, however, seen older boys to about age 5 wearing this style. While clothing catalogs show that tunic suits were made in styles up to the younger primary ages, the photographic record suggests that they were most common for pre-school boys. We notice many more photographs of boys wearing tunic suits in the pre-school years, especially boys from about 3-5 years of age. Here we see a 3 year old wearing a white tunic suit in 1904 (figure 1). We see very few boys wearing tunic suits to school in available school photographs, at least in the early 20th century. And these photographs are widely available.
American boys wore tunics troughout the 19th century. We have very little information on the early-19th century. Age 3 years was the age that many amilies breeched boys, so there may have been some boys wearing tunics. We believe that dresses were much more common. But wihout photigraphy we justb do not know a great deal. Photography was ininvnted in France (1839). It veryb quickly spread to America and bybthe mid-40s we begin tom see substantial numbers of images. We see some images of boys wearing tunics, but not huge numbers. This changed after the turn-of-the 20th century and we see a large numberr of tunic images. We know much more about the mid-19th and early 20th centuries because photograohy by that time was so common. We are still assessing the age range of mid-19th century tunics. At the turn-of-the 20th century we notice quite a number of boys who were 3 years old or looked about 3 wearing tunic suits. We see this in the photographic record and it confirmed in the period catalogs. A good example is an uniderntified boy in 1908. We note Ellis Gray Holden wearing a sailor tunic at age 3 in 1908. We see 3-year old Paul Burnham Dailey in 1914 wearing a saili-styled tuniuc suit. We think that by the 1920s that it was realtively rate to see school-age boys wearing tunic suits.
Clothing catalogs provide a lot of useful information about age conventions. Both the photograph record and clothing catalogs provide useful information.We notice quite a number of boys who were 3 years old or looked about 3 wearing tunic suits. A good example is the Montgomery Wards 1914 pages on tunic suits which are offered in sizes for boys from 2 1/2 to 7 years of age. Catalogs provide somewhat varied age ranges, but the general range is very similar.
We suspect that tunics were a more common school garment in the early 19th century. Very little information unfortunately is available to us on this period. While clothing catalogs show that tunic suits were made in styles up to the younger primary ages, the photographic record suggests that they were most common for pre-school boys. We notice many more photographs of boys wearing tunic suits in the pre-school years, especially boys from about 3-5 years of age. Here we see a 3 year old wearing a white tunic suit in 1904 (figure 1). We see very few boys wearing tunic suits to school in available school photographs, at least in the early 20th century. And these photographs are widely available.
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