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Children's Clothing in 18th-Century Louisbourg
Children's Clothing: Birth to Age Three
From birth the mother had a small wardrobe for the child. This wardrobe contained bonnets and body garments, such as diapers, shirts, bibs, swaddling clothes and socks. The diaper and swaddling clothes were merely a square of linen or woolen material. The shirts and socks were the same as those of an adult. There were also crib accessories such as blankets, sheets, and pillows. The child would have worn these "baby clothes" until three years of age.
At the age of three the child, whether a boy or a girl, would have been put in a shirt, and over that, an ankle length dress. In the more well-to-do families the child would have worn a whalebone stay to ensure good posture. During this period, boys and girls were dressed in the same style clothes. The dresses were made of striped woolens or painted linen, called "Indienne".
At the age of six children were considered to be miniature adults and were expected to dress and act accordingly. The boys wore breeches, without stays. However, if necessary, there were stays made that could have been worn with breeches. Their clothing was usually identical in design to that of their father. If a boy was from an upper class family he probably would have been permitted to carry a sword. For cold weather the boys had a capot, a type of long coat.
When girls reached this age they continued to wear dresses of the same style and fabric as an adult woman, changing only the size as they grew. They were expected to wear stays for most of their lives. The girls usually wore a short cape called a mantelet to protect themselves from the harsh cold of Louisbourg weather.