Figure 1.--This photo postcard shows a boy in a patterned tunic suit with his baby brother or sister. We would guess it was taken during the 1910s. It was an Artura card meaning that it was taken some time during 1910-2, most likely in the 1910s.

We also see tunics made in a variety of patterns. We have noted plaids, especially in the mid-19th century. We see very few in the early-20th century when tunics were especially popular for boys. A very popular pattern was checks. Most of the patterns we have found are checks, but we have not yet archived enough images ti form a definitive assessment. We have also noted polka-dot tunic suits, but this does not seem to have been very common. More common were the checked tunic suits, perhaps done in gingham. The portrait on the previous page shows an Indiana boy wearing a checked tunic outfit. Stripes were not very common, but we have seen few in the photographic record. We do not yet have enough images to fully understand the different patterns being used. Here as many of these tunic suits were sewn at home, it was entirely up to mother what pattern was chosen. And mothers often had very definite ideas about what they wanted. There was a wide range of fabric patterns to choose from. And as tunics were mostly worn by pre-school. boys they did not have worry too much about what pattern if any to chose.

Problems

Some f the images in the photograpic record are fone i nery ight bcolors so the patterns can be nearly lost in the images. At least in the early-20th centurywhen tuncs were vey popular, many if not most seem to have been done in cottn for summer wear. The examples in the 19th century, at least the second half of the century for which we have images were often done in wool, often in muted patterns whch the photographs do not capture.

Specific Patterns

We also see tunics made in a variety of patterns. Cecks sem the most common, at least during the early-20th century where we have fund most of our images.

Checks

A very popular pattern was checks. he boy here we think in the 1910s is a good example. Most of the patterns we have found are checks, but we have not yet archived enough images ti form a definitive assessment. Most common seems to be were the checked tunic suits, perhaps done in gingham. The portrait on the previous page shows an Indiana boy wearing a checked tunic outfit. Unfortunately, we have no idea what colors the checks were done in. We might guess blue and red, but have no solid information to go on. The illustrations are no help. Some are colorized, but it is so much trouble drawing checks that we think that they were avoided.

Plaid

We have noted plaids, especially in the mid-19th century. We see very few in the early-20th-century when tunics were especially popular for boys, and this is when we ave most of our images because of photography.

Polka-dots

We have also noted polka dot tunic suits, but this does not seem to have been very common.

Stripes

Stripes were not very common, but we have seen few in the photographic record. We do not yet have enough images to fully understand the different patterns being used.

Assessment

Here as many of these tunic seem to have been sewn at home, it was entirely up to mother what pattern was chosen. And mothers often had very definite ideas about what they wanted. There was a wide range of fabric patterns to choose from. And as tunics were mostly worn by pre-school. boys they did not have worry too much about what pattern if any to chose.

Created: 10:22 PM 5/14/2008
Last edited: 2:48 PM 4/30/2025