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The sailor collar was another hugely popular child's clothing style. It was based on the Royal Navy uniform and first adapted as a child's garment by the British Royal family (1840s). From that beginning it became widely adopted for boys first in England and than in countries around the world. It became one of the most enduring child's style, worn by both boys and girls. There were different styles, but by far the most commpn was the V-front collar adopted by the Royal Navy. And they were commonly detailed with stripes just like the Royal Navy uniforms. Not all had stripe detailing or the three stripes used in Royal Navy uniforms, but many did. The use of the space between the collar V varied. The sailor collar was primarly an attached collar, although we do see some pin on examples. The Eton and sailor collars were both widely worn by British boys and both introduced in Britain during the 19th century. Interestingly despite having the world's largest and most powerful navy, there were quite a number of countries in which the sailor collar and sailor styles were more popular than in Britain most prominately Germany. Like te syits, they were motly done in nvy blue and white, but they were other colors. As the portraits were taken with the children facing forward, we are most familiar with the 'V' front. But another part of the collar is the back flap, also uually detailed with matching stripes.
The sailor collar was another hugely popular child's clothing style. The child's sailor collar and suit was based on the Royal Navy uniform. The British Royal Navy adopted the sailor suit or naval rig designated the Number One uniform for Able Rates and Leading Hands. Until the 19th century, only officers in the Royal Navy wore uniforms. By the early-19th century we ship captain begnning to address the question about how ther sailors dressed. The collar was not initally part of those efforts. The blue jean collar that evolved has come to be the most recognisable item of the sailor suit. It is a broad collar having a square flap across the back and tapering to a V in the front. It may seem complicated, but note that the lines are all straight with out any more fifficult to cut rounded fearures. As impotant as it has become, relatively little is known about the actual origins. They appear to have been developed by Royal Navy sailor themselves. At the time, sailors sewed their own clothes from material commonly provided by ship captains. Ship's pursers or other warrant officers issued cloth that seamen would then fashion into clothing. There was no actual uniform, but as the ship's company all had clothing made from the same material, a degree of uniformity developed. It is at this time that individual catails began to enfre a degree if unifrmity. There was still no Royl Bavy uniform, but we see ships; companies unifirnally outfitted. We begin to see broad collars (1830s). The first sailor collars were not cut square but were rounded. They were similar to popular civilan clothing. The rows of white tape appear to have frst been added for decorative trim at this time by an unknown seaman and became popular. There are records describing a discussion about whether there should be two or three rows. The modern square cut collar collar developed because it was easier to cut and sew than a round collar. There are several traditions, most of which have come into question. Some believe that the collars date from the times when seamen wore tarred pigtails. This appeas not to be the case as the modern sailor's collar was not part of uniform until after pigtails largely disappeared, at least when officially adopted. Tarred pig tails began to decline after the Napoleonic Wars (1815) and had become rare (1820s). One of the strongest traditions is that the standard three stripes honor Nelson's three great victories, but were simply decorative trim standardised when uniforms began to be regulated. The traditional uniform was introduced as the working rigs of Royal Navy sailors (1857). Until that time the uniforms or clothing for enlisted (ratings) seamen was largely determined by the ship's captain and thus varied from ship to ship. Itvis belieed that decesions by excentric captains caused the Admiralty to act. The uniform adopted by Admiralty in 1857, however, was one tht was comming into use well before the decision was made. The famous Winterhalter painting of Prince Bertie was painted in 1846 and shows all the feature of the uniform officially approved a decade later, including the V-front collar. Note however that a kind of shirt collar rather than a dickie can be seen within the V-front collar.
The sailor collar was first adapted as a child's garment by the British Royal family (1840s). It had less to do with fashion than British politics. Two or three decades after the Napoleonic Wars, Europeans were beginning to question the conservative monarchial systems imposed by the Congress of Vienna. This tumault in popular thought had reached Britain as well as the Continent. And Prince Albert ws wise enough to see that he and Victoria had to reimage the monarchy. George III, IV, and William IV had not been the most insiring of leaders and gabe little thought to their publuc images. Albert and Victoria set about constructing an image of their family as the perfect Victorian family, one of impecable middle-class rectitude, in an effort to connect with the country's emerging middle-class. They supported important fundamental reforms, but there was a range of little touches. And Prince Bertie's sailor suit was one of them. No institution in Britain had more restige than the Royal Navy. And dressing Bertie, the future heir, in a Royal Navy uniform helped to connect the Royal family with the prestige of the Royal Navy. And the genius of this effort can be seen in the uniform chosen. Prince Albert probably more than the Queen chose a an enlisted (ratings) uniform not an offiver's uniform. Prince Berties was outfitted in auniform of an ordinary seaman. Few steps could have connected the Royal family with the British public.
From that beginning it became widely adopted for boys first in England and than in countries around the world. It became one of the most enduring child's style, worn by both boys and girls.
The sailor collar was one of the most iconic boys' styles. It is a broad collar with a rectangular back flap tappering to a deep 'V' cut front. Sailor colors were worn for about a crntury. These collars were also worn by girls who continued wearing them longer than the boys. The basic style of the collar was rhe same for boys and girls. The basic style was fairly standard althiugh the dimensions could vary somewhat. The traditional detailing on the collar was strios continued on the back flap. But there were a wide variety of decorative detailing including varied striping or no stripes at all. The stripe detailing varies in numbers positioning, a width. Many of the collars were the same color as the blouse, others were contrasting colors or different shades so they stood out. There might be stars on the back flap. As portraits were almost always taken with the children facing forward, we are most familiar with the 'V' front. But another part of the collar is the back flap, also usually detailed with matching stripes, odten with stars or other decices at the corners. These collars were worn with a detachable dicky to fill in the sace created by the iconic V front cut. There were different styles, but by far the most commpn was the V-front collar adopted by the Royal Navy. The other styles were basically standard pointed collars, often a little larger than normal. There was normally detailing that made them a sailor style. These were a small percentage of sailor collars, but because so msny boys wore sailor bluses, we have a number of examples.
And they were commonly detailed with stripes just like the Royal Navy uniforms. Not all had stripe detailing or the three stripes used in Royal Navy uniforms, but many did.
The use of the space between the collar V varied. During the summer it might be left uncovered, Usually a dickie or shield was worn. A dickey (dickie) is sometimes called a shield. It is made to look like the front or collar of a shirt or blouse. The French and Russians used a striped T-shirt like garment called marini�re or tricot ray�, but this was not common in England. The sailor dickey and is worn as a separate item aspart of the sailor collar. It was usually detacable, often buttoning on to the collar to cover the spece between the V element. After World War I we begin to see attached dickies in England and America. It was worn with various sailor garment, but especially the middy blouse. Dickies could be plain, but many had embroidered designs such as stars and anchors.
The sailor collar from the beginning was primarly an attached collar, although we do see some pin on examples. The sailors that first produced the sailor collar sewed it on to their blouses. The sailor collar appere at bout the same time as the detachable collar. It is clear that most sailor collars were attached collar. This was the case of the vast number of middy blouses worn by boys throughout Europe and North America. The sailor blouse became a staple of boys' wear and was adopted by girls as well. And the vast number of these grments had attached sailor collars. While it is difficult to tell even from the ample photographic record, but there were sailor collars that look to be laid upon a variety of outfits. And this was not only various sailor garments like jackets and coats, but non sailor garments like regular suit jackets. Both the attached and detachable collars as far as we know always had the back flap. While these are a relatively small proprton of sailor outits, we see plenty of examples in the photographic record.
The Eton and sailor collars were both widely worn by British boys and both introduced in Britain during the 19th century. Interestingly despite having the world's largest and most powerful navy, there were quite a number of countries in which the sailor collar and sailor styles were more popular than in Britain most prominately Germany.
Like sailor suits, the attached sailor collars were motly done in navy blue and white, but they were other colors. The reason that white and adark blue were so common is that these were the colors of the material provided the seamen for their clothing. Blue was provided in large part because blue dye was the least expensive. This was so sommon that dark blue used by the Royal Navy even became known as 'navy blur'. Another factor was that the unofirms of officers were primarily blue, this providing an association with naval uniforms. For boys silors suits as here mothers were involved the color range was more diverse. White and blue dominated seasonally, but we see other colors. The traditonal collar was affected by the color of the suit. The traditiinal sailor collar was done in blue and white. Often a bright royal blue was often used. You can see this here, note the difference between the collar color and the the darker color of the boy's tunic suit.
As the portraits were taken with the children facing forward, we are most familiar with the 'V' front. But another part of the collar is the back flap, also uually detailed with matching stripes, odten with stars or other decices t the corners.
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