Figure 1.--This American photograph was taken in Gettyburg, Pennsylvania during the 1900s. Note that the girl wears a dress or blouse and skirt (note the drawn in waist abd lack of a belt) while her younger brother wore a coordinated sailor tunic. White matching, note thevgirl's straigt "V" while the boy's sailor collar has a different treatment.

I am not yet positive about this, but I believe that sailor tunics were primrily a boys' style. I can't say at this time that girls did not wear them. In fact I believe that girls did some times wear them, althought this tpic needs to be pursued in greater detail. Notably, however, most family photographs show the boys in tunic suits and the girls wearing dresses. I believe that girls may have worn them rather as olay suits and put on dresses for more formal occasions. In particular I do not think that girls would have worn the knickers that went with these suits like the boys for dress occasions. Thus a child, even in ringlet curls, wearing sailor tunics and knickers is probably a boy.

Boys in sailor tunics were photographed with their sisters wearing different styles. There were many different options.

Coordinated Dress

Some sisters wore outfits that seemed to match their brothers in tunics. In some cases they were virtually matching outfits with similar or identical detailing. Often the sister, however was wearing a dress and not a tunic. In some cases the sister wore a blouse and skirt rather than a dress.

Party Dress

Girls also wore their best party dress when photographed with their brother in a sailor tunic. In many cases the boy's sailor tunic was his best dress outfit. Thus it was understanable that his sister would also be dressed to the nines.

Tunic

I believe that girls might wear tunics as a play outfit. This still needs, however, some further investigation.

Created: March 24, 2000
Last updated: March 24, 2000