Figure 1.--This boy's kilt outfit appeared in the fashion magazine "La Caprice" in 1887. I'm not sure what size boy it was made for.

French boys primarily wore kilts in the mid-19th century. We are not sure when the style first appeared in France. Presumably it would have beern the 1850s. Men may have worn kilts earlier, but as a children's outfit it probably was due to Queen Victoria's inspiration in the 1840s. We are not sure when kilts as boys wear first bergan appearing in France. The Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) who was about 14 years old accompanied his parents to Paris on a state visit in 1855. He wore a Scottish kilt and caused a sensation. His outfit included a largeblack tam wit eagle feather and streamers, black velvetvjacket with small Eton collar and bow, plaid kilt, and Argyle kneesocks. I'm not sure what the young Prince of Wales tought about his kilts, although he commonly wore them as an adult, so unlike the current Prince of Wales, he may have liked them. The result of the Prince's outfit was fashion sensation. From that time, kilts and tartan dresses for children or a common fixture in French fashion magazines until after the turn of the century. Parisian fashion magazines depict boys wearing Scottish kilts with full Highland regalia during the 1860s. They still appear in the 1880s, but appaer to be somewhat less popular. Our information, however, is still very limited. French boys in the in the 1890s rarely wore kilts and almost never in the 20th century.

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Created: July 10, 2003
Last updated: July 10, 2003