** English boy clothes -- suits decoration








English Boys Suits: Decorations


Figure 1.--This CDV portarit shows an unidentified girl and her little brother. The children look to be about 5-9 years old. The girls has a fancy dress wih what looks like crepe and velvet accentsas well as ribbons. Note that she holds a book. In 19th century portriture, books were often more associated with boys. Also notice her locket and decorated hat. The boy's suit has heavy frogging, a military enspired style that was not very common in America. This is some of the most elaborate frogging we have noted. The frogging is even repeated on the knee pants. Note his Eton collar. It is relatively small and does not have pointed tips. He holds a walking stick. The CDV is undated, but we would guess the 1870s. Here the small collars and neckwear are a good clue. The studio was J. Bottomley in Bradford, Yorkshire.

Boys' suits in contrast to girls' dresses were normally plain with few decorative touches. We note, however, some highly decorated suits. We note both purely decorative touches and utilitarian decoration. The purely decorative touches included emroidery, frogging, and piping. The embrodery and frogging was most common on fancy suits for youger boys. Here we see a good example of frogging (figure 1). We notice more frogging used in England than America. We are still working on other countries. Embroidery was common in both countries. The decoration was most pronounced on the jackets. But not infrequently we also see the trousers decorated asell, but not as profusely. We have noted vertical strips on the trousers as well as decorated hems, mostly for younger boys. The use of these decorative elements seem most common for a fairly narrow time period, primarily in the 1860s-80s, but especially the 1870s. This is just our initial assessment. We have just begun to work on this issue. Most of the highly decorated jackets were cut-away and collar-buttoning jakets. The trousers were mostly knee pants and knickers. The piping was most common on blazers, especially school blazers. There were many other ways of adding flashes of color or decorative touches by adding garments such as fancy blouses and pin-on collars, neckwear, sashes ect., but these were mot actual parts of the suits. Utilitarian decorations include the arrangement of belts, buttons, lapels, pleats, and pockets. Belts and pleats were used on Norfolk jackets. Almost always the decorative elements were on the jacket, but in the second half of the 19th century we have noted jacket styling repeated on the trousers.

Prevalence

Boys' suits in contrast to girls' dresses were normally plain with few decorative touches. We note, however, some highly decorated suits, popular fir aelatively short period. Notice the girls very fancy dress here which might be called fussy (figure 1). But what catches the eye here is the elaborate frogging on the boy's jacket.

Types

We note both purely decorative touches and utilitarian decoration. The purely decorative touches included emroidery, frogging, piping, and stripes. Here we see a good example of frogging (figure 1). Embroidry is sometimes difficult to assess. Sometimes it is even difficult to see, espcially when done in the same color as the garment. We see some elavorate embrodery done in the same color as the jacket and trousrers. And with dark suits this wos often not readily apparent. Utilitarian decorations include the arrangement of belts, buttons, lapels, pleats, and pockets. Belts and pleats were used on Norfolk jackets. Here there is the complication that the utlitarian elements such as buttons were sometimes used purely for decoration. And even when used for a utilitarian function were also used as part of the decoration. Notice how the buttobs on the boy's jacket here have been covered with fabric to match the frogging (figure 1).

Country trends

We notice much more frogging used in England than America. It was predominately a military decoration for dress uniforms. Whuch presumably was more extensively used in England. We are still working on other countries. Embroidery was common in both countries.

Garments

The standard suit garments were jackets and trousers. Many suits also had vests (waistcoats). The decoration of all three of these garments varied. The decoration was most pronounced on the jackets. But not infrequently we also see the trousers decorated as well, but not as profusely. The decoration on trousers, if any, was made to match the jacket. You can see that clearly in the example on the previous page as well as the boy here (figure 1). We have noted vertical strips on the trousers as well as decorated hems, mostly for younger boys. Most of the highly decorated jackets we have found were either cut-away and collar-buttoning jakets. Sack suit lapel jackets were much less likely to be decorated. The trousers were mostly knee pants and knickers. The piping was most common on blazers, especially school blazers. And unlike the other decoration this continued into the 20th century. Almost always the decorative elements were on the jacket, but in the second half of the 19th century we have noted jacket styling repeated on the trousers. We do not see these decorations on vests, presumably because the vest was normally covered up by the jacket.

Chronology

Men and boys suits could be quite decorative unfil the 19th century. This changed in the 19th century beginning with skeketon suits. For most of the 19th and subsequent centuries, suits were basically plain, albeit there loud patterns were sometimes used. Plain fabrics were more common. There were a range of decorations used on boys' suits. The most commom were embroidery, frogging. piping, and stripes. The use of these decorative elements seem most common for a fairly narrow time period, primarily in the 1860s-80s. The decortions seem especially popular during the 1870s. This is when we find most of the heavily decorated suits. This is just our initial assessment and it is based on estimated dates because we have only a limited number of dated images. We have just begun to work on this issue.

Age

The embrodery and frogging was most common on fancy suits for youger boys. The age range seems about 4-11 years old. Adult men might have some of these decorations, but usully on uniforms, niot civilian clothing..

Cost

These docrative elemebts increased the cost of the garment, althoigh not as much as for adult garments. This decoration was most common for younger (meaning smaller) boys and thus the area to be decorated was relatively small. Even so the decoration was expensive. That is one reason why the dcorated suits were often velvet suits. Mother was not only abke to afford the decoration, but alsp luxury fabrics. This is help in assessing social-class fctors of the children photographed.

Decorative Touches

There were many other ways of adding flashes of color or decorative touches by adding garments such as fancy blouses and pin-on collars, neckwear, sashes ect., but these were mot actual parts of the suits.







HBC






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Created: 8:18 AM 12/24/2014
Last updated: 11:42 PM 4/8/2021