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We notice Welsh boys wearing sailor suits like those worn by English boys. We do not have a lot of images, but those we have found seen similar to what we see English boys wearing at comparable periods. The earliest Welsh portrait we have found looks to date from the 1860s. The extent the sailor suit was worn earlier we do not know. The similarity of the sailor suits worn by Welsh an English boys would seem likely as the basic inspiraion was the same British Royal Navy and British monarchy. Economics was a factor in Wales. The sailor suit was a favorite of the prosperous English middle-class. Wales was not as prosperous as England. Thus there was a a smaller middle-class. We thus believe that silor suits were less popular in Wales as in England. We can not yet confirm this in the phtographic record because our Welsh archive is so small. We note both traditionally styled sailor suits as well as more imaginatively syled suits. Another aspect of sailor suits in Wales is that there were a lot of beach resorts along the extensive Welsh coast. The same coast where Edward I built his massive, intemidating castles. The wonderful Welsh beaches became popular during the Victorian era and with the coming of the railroads (1840s) accessable to the increasingly prosperous British public. The middle-class and prosperous working-class wanted to take family vacations, previouly an upper-class pleaure, and now could afford to do so. And they began visiting Wlsh seaside resports. At the same time the sailor uit was becoming a fashion staple. And often beachwear for the children was sailor outfits. This of course was English children visiting Wales, not the welsh children living in Walles. A good example are unidntified English children visiting Rhyl in northern Wale about 1910.
The idea if thge sailorv suit as a bbiys' fasgion was launched by Queen Victiria and Pribce Albert (1840s). We suspect that Albert had the idea, but are not sure. It was for Pribce Bertie, but the idea caughtb on for the general public throughout Britain and eventually the world. We notice Welsh boys wearing sailor suits like those worn by English boys. We know of no significant difference. We do not have a lot of Welsh images, but those we have found seen similar to what we see English boys wearing at comparable periods. The similarity of the sailor suits worn by Welsh an English boys would seem likely as the basic inspiraion was the same British Royal Navy and British monarchy. As we have a far larger English than Welsh archive, you can probably find a better idea as to styles and trends in the English section.
The earliest Welsh portrait we have found of a boy wearing a sailor suit looks to date from the 1860s. This of course does not mean hat sailor suits were not worn earlier. It is only with the 1860s and the appearsnce of the CDV that we have any number of actual images. Here we have an early example, probaly taken in the 1870s (figure 1). British sailor suits tend to be primarily traditionally styled suits. And as in England by the 1880s and especially the 1890s we see mostly traditionally styled suits throughout Britain including Wales. Ny traditional we mean stripe detailing on a V-collar and back dlap. There was often a dickey between the V which might be removed durring the summer. A 1925 portrait shows these traditional styles being worn into the 1920s. As in England they seemed to have declined in poularity during the 1930s.
The extent the sailor suit was worn earlier we do not know. Economics was probably a factor. was a factor in Wales. The sailor suit was a favorite of the prosperous English middle-class. Wales was not as prosperous as England. Thus there was a a smaller middle-class. We thus believe that silor suits were less prevalent in Wales as in England. We can not yet confirm this in the phtographic record because our Welsh archive is so small.
Sailor suits came in many different styles. We note both traditionally styled sailor suits as well as more imaginatively syled suits or at least suits with only dome sailor element. By traditionally styled suits, we mean suits that closely followed Royal Nany uniforrm styles. This mean a V-front, dickey, and back flap abd three sripe detailing. We see more of the traditional styles in Britain than in the United States where there was more of a varirty of suits until well into the 20th century. Early sailor suits were divrse because thary were not yet mass produced, but soon we see mostly fairly standard traditionally styled suits. Here we see a sailor suit with the V-front collar. The boy instead of a simple dicky is wearing a vest and a blouse (figure 1). At least we can see what looks likev a button-ip garment and whire blouse where the dicky normally is. From this point on, expecially by the 1860s we begin to see mostly traditioinal sailor suits. The charm of the sailor suit was that it was an enlisted (for ratings rather than officers) unifotm. And it appealed to boyd because of the military connctiin and the simplicity. But moythers being mothers, some insisted on adding dashion elenents like the sailor suit the boy here is wearing. Readitional suits dominated. There were many other styles, but the traditiional styles predominated. It was the general pattern. We see variius styles into the early-20th century, but the traditiinal styles dominated.
Wevare not entirely sure about the idenity of the children in the portraits er have found. Another aspect of sailor suits in Wales is that there were a lot of beach resorts along the extensive Welsh coast. The same coast where Edward I built his massive, intemidating castles. The wonderful Welsh beaches became popular during the Victorian era and with the coming of the railroads (1840s) accessable to the increasingly prosperous British public. The middle-class and prosperous working-class wanted to take family vacations, previouly an upper-class pleaure, and now could afford to do so. And they began visiting Wlsh seaside resports. At the same time the sailor uit was becoming a fashion staple. And often beachwear for the children was sailor outfits. This of course was English children visiting Wales, not the Welsh children living in Walles. A good example are unidntified English children visiting Rhyl in northern Wales about 1910.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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