Boys' costume

Boys’ clothes were generally the same as those of adult males – though probably not of such lasting quality.

As a boy, poet Jónas Hallgrímsson composed a verse about his garments as he dressed one morning in the 19^th century:

Buxur, vesti, brók og skó,
bætta sokka nýta,
húfutetur, hálsklút þó,
háleistana hvíta.

Breeches, waistcoat, underpants and shoes,
darned socks,
a tatty cap, a neckerchief at least,
and the long white stockings.

Jónas probably slept in his shirt. When he got up he dressed in his woollen breeches and waistcoat, then socks and shoes, cap and neckerchief, but did not put his jacket on until he left the house. Perhaps it was a Sunday, since young Jónas put on his long white stockings over his socks.

While men sometimes wore long trousers, boys probably wore mostly knee-length breeches.