Figure 1.--This boy wears an untied plaid bow. HBC believes thgat some were left untied as a stylish affect. The card has "Abram Eshelman's son", written on the back.

Bows were of course only worn with tunics that had collars--usually wide white collars. Buster Brown tunics were the most common ones worn with bows. A number of styles entailed collars. Russian blouse tunics did not have collars, but most other tunics did. Not all collared tunics were worn with bows, but many were. The size, style, color, and pattern of these bows could vary greatly. Most of these bows were perkily tied. Some boys wore them untied. HBC believes that this was a style and not just a splopilly dressed child. Bows were of course only worn with tunics that had collars--usually wide white collars. Buster Brown tunics were the most common ones worn with bows. A number of styles entailed collars. Russian blouse tunics did not have collars, but most other tunics did. Not all collared tunics were worn with bows, but many were. The size, style, color, and pattern of these bows could vary greatly. Most of these bows were perkily tied. Some boys wore them untied. HBC believes that this was a style and not just a splopilly dressed child.

No Bows

Some boys wore no bows at all. HBC can not at this time estimate the number that wi\ore their tunic suits without bows, but they were a destinct minority.

Bows

Boys in the late 19th century commonly wore large bows and collars. At the turn of the century, boys did not wear the same large bows with their sailor tunic suits. Some boys wore no bows. Other boys wore bows. They were highly varied, but not nearly as large as the bows worn with Fauntleroy and other suits. Bows were of course only worn with tunics that had collars--usually wide white collars. Buster Brown tunics were the most common ones worn with bows. A number of styles entailed collars. Russian blouse tunics did not have collars, but most other tunics did. Not all collared tunics were worn with bows, but many were. The size, style, color, and pattern of these bows could vary greatly. Most of these bows were perkily tied. Some boys wore them untied. HBC believes that this was a style and not just a splopilly dressed child.Some boys wore their sailor tunics with the same bows or really scarves that boys wore with proper sailor suits. These were generally black scarves tied with simple knots. Occasionally they also wore whiye scarves.

Styilized bows

Some sailor tunics had esppecially stylilized scarves that matched the detailing on their tunics. The bows or knots varied greatly as did the color.

Regular Bows

Other boys wore bows. They were highly varied, but not nearly as large as the bows worn with Fauntleroy and other suits.

Created: July 12, 1999
Last updated: July 12, 2000