Figure 1.--Here we see a woman identified as Mrs. Buldler (writing indestict) and her son Buddy. The CYKO postcard is undated, but was probably taken in the 1910s. Buddy is wearing a dressup outfit, a white sailor tunic, white long stockings, and strap shoes. Buddy looks to be about 5 years old.

The sailor style extremely popular in the late-19th and early-20th century. There were a variety of saiolor garments dyring this period. One of these was the sailor tunic. It was the most popular style for the tunics many boys wore in the United States. Tunics were worn throughtout the 19th century. We do not note sailor tunics, however, until about the turn-of-the 20th century. They may have appeared in the very late-1890s, but we have not yet found examples before the turn-of-the century. We notice numeous examples from the 1900s and 1910s. We see tunics advertized in mail order catalogs duting the 1900s.Some tunics like the fancy one seen on rthe previous page about 1910 does not seem to fit into any specific style, but is in fact a fancy sailor tunic. There is no stripe detailing, but the "V" front collar is a sailor style. Sailor tunics were widely worn in America during the early-20th century. A good example is the Hubbard brothers in 1913. Mother dressed all the younger boys in sailor tunics. Another example is Theodore Roosevelt Johnson in 1912. We continue to see tunics advertized in mail order catalogs during the 1910s. We still see some after Workd War I in the1920s, but they were not nearly as common as before the War.

The 1890s

Tunic suits may have appeared in the very late-1890s, but we have not yet found examples before the turn-of-the century. Not only have we not yet found any portraits, but we do not yet note tunics in 1890s mail order catalogs. Our mail order items are, however still limited.

The 1900s

We notice numeous examples from the 1900s and 1910s. We see tunics advertized in 1900s mail order catalogs. The first catalog entry we have found is from 1900. We note the younger son of the new president, Quintin, wearing tunic suits. We note him wearing a Russian blouse tunic suit rather than aailot-styled suit. Some tunics like the fancy one seen on a previous page about 1905-10 do not seem to fit into any specific style, but is in fact a fancy sailor tunic. There is no stripe detailing, but the "V" front collar is a sailor style.

The 1910s

Sailor tunics were widely worn in America during the early-20th century. A good example is the Hubbard brothers in 1913. Mother dressed all the younger boys in sailor tunics. Another example is Theodore Roosevelt Johnson in 1912. We continue to see tunics advertized in mailorder catalogs during the 1910s.

The 1920s

We still see some after World War I in the 1920s, but they were not nearly as common as before the War. And many of the examples we have found look more like long sailor blouses than tunics. We see onlkyb a few entries in 1920s catalogs and none by mid-century.

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Created: 12:19 AM 12/21/2011
Last edited: 12:19 AM 12/21/2011