Ebgkish Figure 1.-- This postcard-back portrait shows an unidentified boy wearing a cut-away jacket and Fauntleoy blouse. It is a velvet suit. We are not sure about the color. It is not dated, but looks to have been taken in the early-1920s. The studio is F. Preece.

Cut-away jackets were a major style for younger boys in the second half of the 19 century. And we continue to see some in the very early-20th century, especially the 1900s. They continued to be worn as part of Fauntleroy outfits. Most of the examples we have found were worn with Fauntleroy or Eton collars. These fancy outfits were declinhg for boys but we still see quite a few in the photographic record. A good example is an unidentified boy about 1900-05. And this continued into the 1910s. World War I erupted in the middle of the decade destroying the comfotytbled fixed society of an ordered, stable Europe. It had a profound impact on European society and this included fashion. The War made for practicality and plain styles. Rationing was a factor, but the temper of the day made fashion and frivolity seem out of place. This of course had the greatest imopct on womemn who were the most inclined to fancy dress. But it also impacred how mothers dressed children. And Fauntleroy outfits seem just not right fir the times. They did not disappear, but declined significantly. We continue to see these jackets into the 1920s, but wer no longer a majior style. The photograophic record suggests that these cut-away jackets were mostly worn by boys from well-to-do families, mostly with short pants and socks. We also see some Fauntleroy blouses. We continue to see a few examples into the 1930s. They continued to be asoociated with Fauntleroy ourfits. The style did not entirely disappear, but we no longer see any large numbers. Rather we begin to see a relted style--junior Eton suits. This was, however, more common in America.

Created: 3:06 AM 12/14/2018
Last updated: 3:06 AM 12/14/2018