Thank you all who responded to my inquiry about young boys and dresses! And to Byron for the info about the studio. What a good idea looking it up in the directories! I didn't come up with anything using Google other than another person wanting info about the same studio. I forgot about those old directories. After I wrote the list I tried another search worded differently that produced some information which I'm sharing with you about boys styles. These are just a few bits from the site. Unfortunately it looks like the dress was a fashion that lasted more than just a few years...more like centuries! Do you think boys were relieved when the Little Lord Fauntleroy suite came out? "Europeans in the 17th and 18th Centuries dressed little tots, both boys and girls in the same styles of ankle-length dresses, often referred to as petticoats. Some boys might wear dresses or dress-like smocks to five or seven years until they were "breeched." It is amazing to find when studying the contemporary portraits of children that one cannot tell boy from girl except by name. Over the elaborate frock as protection was worn a "pinafore," an apron pinned to the front, often of sheer linen, embroidered and lace-trimmed. " "Very young boys throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century wore dresses much like those worn by their sisters. These dresses in the mid-1800s could be quite elaborate." "As boys grew older some differentiation might be made such as less lace and frilly appliqué. Boys outfitted in frocks during the early part of 19th Century often wore knee-length or below the knee pantalets, often trimmed in frilly lace. Other frocks might have embroidered, somewhat less famine pantaloons. Other outfits for somewhat older boys were frock-like tunics." "As the 19th Century progressed, another garment was added to the small boy's wardrobe--a smock-like tunic. The tunic suit was a form of jacket, close-fitting to the waist, with a gathered or pleated skirt. Lengths varied, but many of the early tunics fell to mid-calf. The length became shorter as the century progressed. It usually buttoned down the front. Unlike the skeleton suit which was not belted, tunics (unlike true smocks), often were belted at the waist. The belt was frequently quite broad. Tunics suits were worn from the 1820s (some authors give a later date) to the 1870s." Thanks again everyone! Carol