Figure 1.--Here we see two unidentified brothers. They look to be about 5-7 years old. The younger boy wears a tunic suit with fancy filagre trim, both the large collar and placket which he wears with bloomer knickers. The older boy wears a classic sailor suit. There is not stripe detailing, but a white V-collar and dicky. He has a a polkdaot scaefe which was not coomon with sailor suits. Note thr lanyards, probably attached to a whistle. It is a knee pants suit. Both noys weat long stockings and high-top shoes. The photograph was taken at the Walthamstow Studio. Walthamstow is a neighnorhood in North London. The owner had studios in other London locations.

Younger Engish boys during the Victorian era wore a range of skirted garments, including dresses, pinafores, tunics and to a leser extent smocks and kilts. This was a long establihed convention that only began weakening in the 1890s. The youngest boys wore dresses and pinafores affected somewhat by social class. Somewhat older boys wore tunics. Tunics were worn with various pants. Younger boys wore pantalettes, older boys long trousers An example of that can be seen in a painging by Rebecca Solomon of an idealized Victorian family in the early-1850s. The skeleton was was the first actualy boy's garment. It introduced long pants at a time tha men were wering knee breechs. It appeared at the turn of the 19th century and by the time Pincess Victoria rose to the throne was beginning to go out of style. Major changes occurred during the Vicorian Era. The young Queen and her engaging family popularized the sailor suit. This began as a style for the ryal family and thevaiticacy. It acught on as an expresion of national spirit. The sailor suit became a major fixtures of the 19th century boys' wardrobe--one of he most popular boys' garment of all time. The royal family also helped popularize the kilt, although here there was a strng v\class element. The kilt in Engkland was won primarily by the afflueht classes. Reflecting the inluence of the skeletin suit, boys mostly wore long pants in the early Victorian era. At mid-century we begin to see younger boys from fashionanle families wearing shortened-lentgh pants, both knee pants and bloomer knickers. As tine went on these shortened-length pants became increasing common and less influenced by socail class. The Eton collar appeared at mid-century and increasede in popularity throughout the Victorian era. Eton collars became the standard dress for formal occasions. Norfolk styling began to become popular by the 1870s. Than he Fauntleroy crae exploded onto the fashion cene (1885). It was never as as popular as in America, but influenced Bitish fashions or the rest of the Victorian era.

Created: 10:43 AM 6/9/2019
Last updated: 10:43 AM 6/9/2019