1860'S boy's dress?

crinolinegirl

crinolinegirl

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1860\'S boy\'s dress?

This is one of those items that I can't make up my mind about:
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/fsimages/childrens/plaid1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/fsimages/childrens/plaid2.jpg">

I *think* it may be a late 1860's- early 1870's boy's dress but I'm not sure. The pouched front makes me think it's later like turn of the century but the shape of the dress and the sleeves remind me of the 1860's. None of my books on kid's things are any helpful as all they seem to show are loads and loads of christening gowns and whites!

It's made of very fine crisp wool (challis I think it's called) and has treadle machine and hand sewing.
It fits a 6 year old as I tried it on my neice and she is 6 1/2 but to me, it seemed a bit "masculine" on her especially with the asymmetrical green "tail end" on the left shoulder. The shoulder seams weren't dropped on her shoulders though and the front becomes pouched when worn which makes me think turn of the century. The bright bold plaid and full bell shaped skirt seems more mid 19th century though.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! :)

Lei
 
Lei, I took a look through the few books I have on children's wear. I did see this type of dress for boys in the 1860s in tartan. Some had long sleeves, some short, some a wider neckline, some a round neck.

I did have a boys dress of a later period - the 1890s? that had a Russian or side button placket where yours has the green band.

Hollis
 
Lei-
That is a fabulous find and truely a treasure--boy or girl! Something that I always notice is that European clothing and American clothing are ususally fews years apart in terms of age/popularity. This of course makes sense in that fashions took time to become popular here. If it were American clothing I would have put it around 1880s. I have some great catelogs etc from mid 19th century and I'll see what I can turn up.

Great dress!! Going up for auction????? ;)
 
It is actually an American boy's dress but your are absolutely right about the time lag though. This boy's dress though looks like it would have been for a upper-middle or upper class family so they would have tried to keep as up to date as possible to European styles than the lower class.
It's from the mid- late 1860's so there was probably a slight time lag with European and US styles (maybe a season or two out) but not as much as what would have been worn with the lower classes.

LOl, it's currently on C&C but whether it ends up on Ebay or in my own collection remains to be seen! :D It's one of those things that I always debate whether to keep or not.

Lei
 
>debating to keep can be a very dangeorus thing

Don't I know it! How do you think that I ended up with half the antique corsets in my collection? :P
 
hi..its awfully bright isnt it?? gaudy in fact...l work part time in art gallery/ museum and you should see the costume archive....whenever l enter, l must be accompanied (joke) as they worry l shall either explode with excitement literally..or implode....
it is FANTASTIC...but never seen anything there THAT bright...
methinks could it be a theatre costume???


sara x
 
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