|
We note English boys wearing a range of kilt outfits. They seem to be mostly dressy outfits, including Higland kilts and kilt suits. English boys somrtimes wore kilts with full Higlands regalia. Almost always these were boys from wealthy families. The kilts were worn as dress outfits for formal events. This became fashionable beginning in the mid-19th Century after Queen Victotia and her decendents began dressing the princes in kilts. Few English boys in the 19th Century wore proper Scottish kilts with Highland regalia. Another kilt fashion was the kilt suit. I know that the kilt suit was very commonly worn by American boys in the late 19th Century. American mothers used the kilt suit as an intermediate step between dresses and outfits with kneepants, such as Fauntleroy suits and sailor suits. These mothers were not yet ready to fully breech their sons, but felt that they were becoming to old to still wear dresses. I am not sure if this fashion was as common in England as it was in America. Some English mothers bought kilts for their sons for casual wear. Again this was mostly boys in affluent families. This was most common for English families which spent time in Scotland or the north of England.
English boys somrtimes wore kilts with full Higlands regalia. Almost always these were boys from wealthy families. The kilts were worn as dress outfits for formal events. This became fashionable beginning in the mid-19th Century after Queen Victotia and her decendents began dressing the princes in kilts. Of course there were political reasons for the royal family to do this, but some English mothers chose the kilts costumes for their children because the style appealed to them. We note quite a few such portraits in the photographic record.
Few English boys in the 19th Century wore proper Scottish kilts with Highland regalia. Another kilt fashion was the kilt suit. I know that the kilt suit was very commonly worn by American boys in the late 19th Century. American mothers used the kilt suit as an intermediate step between dresses and outfits with kneepants, such as Fauntleroy suits and sailor suits. These mothers were not yet ready to fully breech their sons, but felt that they were becoming to old to still
wear dresses. I am not sure if this fashion was as common in England
as it was in America. Most of the images I have seen are American, but
this could be simply a reflection of my greater access to American images. Social and economic factors may have affected the popularity of kilt suits. Americans less aware of social, nation and class sentiment in Britain, probably viewed the kilt suit as fashionably British. Americans in the 19th Century were very influenced by European fashion. Some English mothers, like Queen Victoria, may have been smitted with the allure of Scotland. Other English mothers probably viewed Scotland as a bleak, poverty stricken region of Britian and the kilt suit fashion may not have appealed to them.
Some English mothers bought kilts for their sons for casual wear. Again this was mostly boys in affluent families. This was most common for English families which spent time in Scotland or the north of England.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
[Return to the Main English kilt page]
[Return to the National kilt page]
[History]
[Usage]
[Kilt suits]
[British royals]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the English seaside resorts]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[Essays]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
