Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait shows two unidentified London brothers wearing suits. They look to be about 5-13 years old. The younger boy wears a Norfolk knickers suit with strap shoes. the older boys wears a long pants Eton suit. We suspect this was his school uniform. We are unsure to what extent he wore this as his main suit when not at school. Note both boys wear Eton collars. The portrait is not dated, but the mount suggests the turn-of-the 20th century to us. The studio was Ellis & Sons which had four locations in London.

The chronology of long trouser suits is fairly well established. English boys like men mostly wore knee breeches in he 18th century. Long trousers appeared with skeleton suits at the end of the 18th century. At first many skeleton were done with knee breeches, but soon long pants became standard. At the time long pants were just for boys. Men wore knee breeches. English boys mostly wore long pants appeared even in the late-18th century. Boy began wearing long pants well before adult men began wearing them. Here there were social class differences. The common people in France called the 'sans cullotes' were weating long pants. Long pants became standard for boys in the early-19th century. The skeleton suit was the first dedicated boy's garment and long pants became standard for skeleton suits. at the beginning of the 19th century. This included tounger boys after breeching. Men also began wearing long pants in he early-19th century. Long pants were worn almost exclusively until the mid-19th century. Several different types of shortened-length trousers appeared at mid-century for younger boys. Older boys continued to wear long pants suits into the lat-19th century. We notice younger boys wearing bloomer knickers and knee pants suits . Subsequently knickers also appeared. These shortened-length pants gradually became more commonly worn in the second half of the 19th century. At first only younger boys wore these shortened-length trousers, but they gradually not only became more common, but we see older boys wearing them as well. We note teen age boys wearing knickers at boarding school. School uniforms somewhat complicates the subject of suits. Some boys had suits which they wore when not a school, but many boys wore their school uniforms as a suit when dressing up. Here a factor was the family's affluence. Long pants seem more common in England than America during the 19th century. although this changed somewhat in the 20th century. Long trousers by the end of the century were less common for boys, except older teenagers. Long trousers were mostly worn by older boys in the early 20th century. We see school age boys wearing first knee pants and then short pants. After World War I, short pants suits became standard for boys until their teen years with some boys wearing them into their early- teens. This continued after World War I into the 1950s. Gradually by the late-50s we begin o see more boys wearing long pnts suits. They were standard by the 1970s, although some private schools had boys wearing short pants suits as part of school uniforms. The type of siot had some impact on the trosers. Norfolk suits were often wirn with knickers. Eton suitswere commonly worn with long pants. Blazers were often worn with short pants. Most importantly were chronological trends and ages.

The 18th Century

English boys like men mostly wore knee breeches in he 18th century. Long trousers appeared with skeleton suits at the end of the 18th century. At first many skeleton were done with knee breeches, but soon long pants became standard. At the time long pants were just for boys. Men wore knee breeches. English boys mostly wore long pants appeared even in the late-18th century. Boy began wearing long pants well before adult men began wearing them. Here there were social class differences. The common people in France called the 'sans cullotes' were weating long pants.

The 19th Century

Long pants became standard for boys in the early-19th century. The skeleton suit was the first dedicated boy's garment and long pants became standard for skeleton suits. at the beginning of the 19th century. This included tounger boys after breeching. Men also began wearing long pants in he early-19th century. Long pants were worn almost exclusively until the mid-19th century. Several different types of shortened-length trousers appeared at mid-century for younger boys. This is aittle difficult to follow at mid-century because there are so few British Dags and ambros. With the advent if the CDV in the 1860s we have a much larger photographic record to work with. But only younger boys wore them for some time. Older boys continued to wear long pants suits into the late-19th century. We notice younger boys wearing bloomer knickers and knee pants suits . Subsequently knickers also appeared. These shortened-length pants gradually became more commonly worn in the second half of the 19th century. At first only younger boys wore these shortened-length trousers, but they gradually not only became more common, but we see older boys wearing them as well. We note yoonger teenage boys wearing knicker suits at boarding school, but not all schools. This varies quite a bit. We see boys wearing shortened-lngth suits in the 1870s, but mostly only to about 8-10 years of age and even many younger boys still wore long pants suits. We still see boys mostly wearing long pants suits through the 1870s and not just teenagers. . School uniforms somewhat complicates the subject of suits. Some boys had suits which they wore when not a school, but many boys wore their school uniforms as a suit when dressing up. Here a factor was the family's affluence. Long pants seem more common in England than America during the 19th century. e see many teen age american boys wearing knee pants by the 1890s. This was much less common in Britaon. Only in the 20th century did this begin to change.

The 20th Century

Long trousers by the end of the century were less common for boys, except older teenagers. Long trousers were mostly worn by older boys in the early 20th century. We see school age boys wearing first knee pants and then short pants. After World War I, short pants suits became standard for boys until their teen years with some boys wearing them into their early- teens. This continued after World War I into the 1950s. Gradually by the late-50s we begin o see more boys wearing long pnts suits. They were standard by the 1970s, although some private schools had boys wearing short pants suits as part of school uniforms. The type of siot had some impact on the trosers. Norfolk suits were often wirn with knickers. Eton suitswere commonly worn with long pants. Blazers were often worn with short pants. Most importantly were chronological trends and ages.

Created: 11:39 AM 11/24/2014
Last updated: 11:40 AM 11/24/2014