1815 Child's pantaloons
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1810-1820 White cotton pantaloons
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The top of the back of the pantaloons
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Detail of one side showing the opening
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Detail of the hem which is in poor condition and has been much mended
Description
The bodice has shoulder straps, about ⅜" wide; each edge is hemmed and the inside hem encases a tape, ⅛" wide, with one end sewn down at the front and the tape seeming to continue through the hem of the back neck to tie at the centre back. This has broken off short on the right-hand side and has a modern piece added to the end. The bodice has torn and been repaired where the straps join on the right-hand side, and on the left there is a tape over a tear at the front but the join at the back is still undamaged.
A ⅜" wide tape is sewn round the inside of the bodice at the waist, and there is a button (possibly a replacement) and a vertical buttonhole at the centre back. The pantaloons are gathered in to the waist round the front. They are open for 8" down at each side with the ⅜" wide tape as a facing to reinforce the end of the slits.
The top of the back is gathered into a self waistband with five horizontal buttonholes to fasten on to four covered buttons on the bodice waist. One at each side of the bodice is at the top of the openings, one is half way along the waistband each side of the centre back, and the buttonhole in the centre is to be attached to the button fastening the bodice.
There are gussets, 7¼" down from the waist, front and back, 6" deep and 5" wide where they join at the crotch.
Four tucks, ⅜" deep, go round the lower legs, and the hems have bands of whitework, 1" wide, which are in poor condition and have been much mended. A tape, ⅛" wide, folded into zigzags, is sewn round the bottom edge.
Contemporary illustration
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Fashion plate in La Belle Assemblée, September 1807
History
Pantaloons, sometimes called trousers, were worn under dresses worn by children, showing below the hem. Boys wore dresses until the age of three or four. The pantaloons were often sewn to a bodice, as here.