Figure 1.--We are not entirely sure what kind of cap this boy wears with his tunic suit. He wears black long stockings with we think high-top shoes although the portrit is not very clear. These postcard back portrait had an AZO stamp box with all fout triangles Up (1904-18).

The tunic suit consisting of tunic and pants were the primary garments and there was not much else that a boy needed along with the suit. In fact many boys went barefoot and wore nothing else with the tunic suits. But there were other garments worn with tunic suits. Some boys wore headwear, but most based on the photographic record did not. There is an association with broad-brimmed sailor hats because of Buster Brown, but most images we have found show boys withour headwear. A few boys wore these broad-brimmed sailor hats, but this was not common--Buster Brown not withstanding. We do not note matching headwear made in the same material. Some mothers did match colors. Hosiery varied. We see boys going barefoot. There were two basic options for hosiery. Most boys wore either three-quater socks or long stockings. Knee socks were not common. Footwear also varied. We see quite a few boys wearing strap shoes when wearing dressy tunic suits. A range of other shoe types were also worn, especially when the boys were not dressing up. We note sandals for more casual occassions. High-top shoes were also worn. They were the standard footwear for boys during the 1900s and 10s when tunics suits were most popular. The high tops we do see were especiaillycommonm older boys and seasonally during the winter.

Headwear

Some boys wore headwear, but most based on the photographic record did not. Given thevadvent of family snapshots, we have a much better idea of headwear with tunic than with 19th century styles. There is an association with broad-brimmed sailor hats because of Buster Brown, but most images we have found show boys withour headwear. A few boys wore these broad-brimmed sailor hats, but this was not common--Buster Brown not withstanding. We also see sailor caps which seem to have been a popular choice.We do not note matching headwear made in the same material. Some mothers did match colors. We see other headwear styles being worn, including types, likevthe one here that we cannot yet identify (figure 1)

Collars

A variety of collars were worn with tunic suits. The tunics themslves for the most part were dome without collars. The primary exception was the sailor tunics that were done with saoilor collars. Some tunics were other worn without collars or with minimal collars. This was a comfortable style, but we also notice other more formal styles. Many mothers did not think children's outfits looked right without large formal collars. And as the tunics were done withut collars, mothers werecfree to and whatever collar they so desired. Other were worn with pin-on or detachable collars. Some of these could be quite large. They were often white, contrasting with colored tunics, alkthough there were whote tunics as well. We note lace collars, broad white collars, Eron collsrs, and various other styles. The Eton collars were fairly standard, although they varied in size. The other collars were much more varied. The differet sytles and sizes were virtually endless.

Neckwear

Neckwear varied ocer time affectinjg vwhat vwas worn with tunic suits. Depending on the type of tunic which primatily mean the tyoe of collar. The boy hee, for example wears a sailor tunic, but without the scarfe often worn with sailor blouses. Collar buttoning tunics might have a small white collar and bow tie. Fauntleroy tunics might have a floppy bow. But many tunic suits had no neckwear at all. This was especially the case after the turn-of-the 20th centyry when we begin to see some tunic suits worn as casual summer play outfits.

Belts

American boys almost always wore tunics with a belt. We are not sure why. It was purely a fashion convention. A belt worn at the waist over a tunic had no practical function. It was obviously not holding anything up. The primary purpose of a belt is to hold up the pants. Worn over the tunic, this obviously was not the case. We think it was kind of a military style adopted to give the tunic a boyish look. The types of belts varies as did the belt buckles. We see belts that contrasted with the tunic. Other belts kind of blended in with the tunic and were not so noticeable. The belts were done in various material. We see leather belts, fabric belts, and black patent leather belt. We are not sure about the early-19th century. The fabric belts were done in both the same fabric as the tunic or in contrasting colors. The regular leathers belts were most common at the mid-19th century. We see mostly fabric and patent leather belts at the tunn-of-th 20th century. The belts were done in various widths. Some were cinched tight. Others were not cinched. They required some belt loops to hold them up. You can see the belt loops on the boy's white tunic here (figure 1). Whatever the color or the material, all of these belts were fashion items of no functional purpose.

Hosiery

We do not know much about hosiery in the early-19th entury. During this period boys wore pataloons or long trousers with tunics. We have few images and those that are availble offer few details as to hosiery. With the development of photography w know much more about the second half of the century. Hosiery varied, although there were limited options. We see boys at the turn of the 20th centuty going barefoot as tunics were a popular summer outfit. There were two basic options for hosiery. Most boys wore either three-quater socks or long stockings. Knee socks were not yet common and we do not notice them. The choice of hosiery were in part seasonal. The thee-quarter socks were common during the summer. They were often white, sometimes with some small colored band or decoration. Long stockings were commonly worn during the winter. Long stockings were also worn when dressing up. White stockings were most common in the summer. We do not see light colors. Black are dark colored stockings were in the winter. The color seasonal pattern was not always followed. Here formality made for off seasonal choices. We are not yet sure about colored stockings, but believe some were worn. We see three-quarter socks and long stocking both being worn in the opposite season as well. Note the boy here wears black long stockings with a white sailor tunic.

Footwear

Footwear worn with tunic suits also varied. Chronological trends were important. We see quite a few boys wearing strap shoes when wearing dressy tunic suits. We notice both ankle and instep trap shoes. A range of other shoe types were also worn, especially when the boys were not dressing up. We note sandals for more casual occassions. High-top shoes were also worn. They were the standard footwear for boys during the 1900s and 10s when tunics suits were most popular. The high tops we do see were especiailly common for the older boys wearing tunics and worn seasonally during the winter. Low-cut oxfirds seem less common. We also see some boys wearing sandals, mostly double-bar closed toe sandals. Another option was to go barefoot during the summer. We see quite a few boysearing tunics going barefoot.

Created: 10:43 PM 5/28/2008
Last edited: 2:12 PM 2/5/2020