Figure 1.--This 1919 portrait shows two unidentified brothers wearing identical long pants sailor suits. The boys look to be about 4-7 years old. As had become standard in the 1910s, their suits have traditionl three-stripe detailing. Notice the hair cut, there is a hint of page boy styling at the side. This was a photograph is a covered paper enclosure, not a cabinet card that had dominated earlier studio photography. The photograoher was the Gainsboro Studio in Brooklyn. The actual photograph was about 6 3/4 in by 10 1/2 in.

American boys were different types of sailor suits in the 1910s which affected the different garments involved. We see sailor caps worn with sailor suits. Saucercaps were still popular. Sailor hats for younger boys were no longer common. The standard sailor outfit was a middy blouse and various pants. Three-stripe collar and cuff detailing was common for middy blouses. There were also button-on suits where the blouse button on to the pants. Tunics suits were also popular. There were also various coats and jacket-like reefer jackets. Sailor blouses were very popular in the 1900s. We see more button-on outfits in the 1910s. Sailor tunics were popular in both decades, but seem to have been most popular in the 1910s. Sailor suits were made with different kinds of pants, including straight-leg knee pants, bloomer knickers, and long pants. We see a shift from knee pants to knickers during the decade. There may have been some short pants, but they did not become common until the 1920s. Here it is somewhat difficult to diffrentiate beween knee pants and short pants in many photographs. The hosiery was mostly three-quarter socks and long stockings. We see low-cut shoes, strap. shoes and sandasls often being worn with sailor suits, but we are still working on the subject of footwear. Here a factor was the age of boys wearing sailor suits.

Headwear

We see sailor caps worn with sailor suits in the 1910s. Saucer caps were still popular. Sailor hats for younger boys were no longer common.

Blouses

The standard sailor outfit was a middy blouse and various pants. Three-stripe collar and cuff detailing was common for middy blouses.

Button-on Suits

There were also button-on suits where the blouse button on to the pants. Sailor blouses were very popular in the 1900s. We see more button-on outfits in the 1910s.

Tunic Suits

Tunic suits were also popular. Sailor tunics were popular in both decades, but seem to have been most popular in the 1910s. .

Pants

Sailor suits were made with different kinds of pants, including straight-leg knee pants, bloomer knickers, and long pants. We see a shift from straight-leg knee pants to knickers during the late-1900s decade. Knkckers were standard during the 1910s. Some younger boys might still wear knee oanhts. There may have been some short pants, but they did not become really common until the 1920s. Here it is somewhat difficult to diffrentiate beween knee pants and short pants in many photographs. As in the 1900s decade, very few boys wore long oants in the 1910s. Curiously one of the rare outfits that involved long pants for boys were sailor suits. This was a minority of sailor outfits but it was an option for boys, even younger boys. This we assume was to emulate the actual uniforms worn by sailors. The boys here are a good example (figure 1). his dies not seem to be a seasobal matter. We see noth summer and winter suits dine in the same manner.

Hosiery

The hosiery for the shortened-length pamts was either three-quarter socks or long stockings. The youngest boys might wear socks, but most school-age noys were long stocings even during the summer.

Foowear

We see low-cut shoes, strap. shoes and sandasls often being worn with sailor suits, but we are still working on the subject of footwear. Here a factor was the age of boys wearing sailor suits. Mant biys wenbarefoot un the 1910s, bit this was not common fo r boys earing sailoe=r suits. .

Coats and Jackets

There were also various coats and jacket-like reefer jackets.

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Created: 7:51 PM 4/10/2017
Last updated: 2:10 AM 2/11/2024