Figure 1.--This photograph was taken during 1897 in Markinch (Gaelic: Marg Innis), a small town in the eastern central lowlands of Scotland. Notice all the different caps and hats. Almost all the children are wearing headwear. The boys wear knee pants and many are barefoot. The girls wear dresses and many along with one younger boy wears pinafores. Notice that there are no kilts to be seen. We believe that this would have been different in the Highlands. The clothing worn is indestinguishable from English villages at the time, although the stone houses area clue.

The decade trends in Scotlands are very similar to those we notice in England. There were differences, largely the result of the greater prosperity prevalent in England. There were also ethnic stles like kilts worn in Scotland. We notice, for example, more children gping brefoot in Scotlands. We think this was very common in the early-19th century. We still notice three-cornered hats and knee breeches in the early-19th century. Gradually long pants became common for boys. This transitiion was more rapid for boys than youths and adult mens. The early 19th century was dominated by long pants skeleton suits and tunics. We are not sure about kilts. We believe that they were rather rare in the Lowlland, but we are less sure about the Higlands. Many were comfortable loose fitting garments. There were major changes at mid-centurty as new styles inspirred by Queen Victoria began to tale hold like sailor suits and kilts. The tightly buttoned Eton collar replaced ruffled collars and kneepants and knickers replaced long pants. The comfortable styles of the early decade had become much more restrictive as well as more elaborate--culminating with the Fauntleroy suit of the 1880s. English boys throughout the 19th Century wore dresses as little boys. Styles were quite similr to those worn by their sisters in the early part of the century, but became more plain by the end of the century. The dresses followed the styles of the day, very long at the beginning of the century and becoming shorter as the century progressed. Shorter dresses were worn discreetly with pantalettes. Dresses were often worn with pinafores by both boys and girls, although only younger boys wore them. Pinafores became less common for younger boys by the end of the century. We are not sure how common smocks were in Scotland. We do notoice them being worn, but our archive is still very limited. The boys' style most associated with this period is the skeleton suit which dominated bous fashions in the first three decades of the century. Tunics were another popular style. We assume that trends were similar in Scotlnd to England, but we can not yet confirm this. It was in the Victorian age that many modern social values as wll as modern fashions began to appear and Queen Victoria and her family was at the center of it all. Fashionable English boys at the turn of the Century wore skeleton suits and tunics. Younger boys wore pantalettes, older boys long trousers. Major changes occurred during the Vicorian Era. The young Queen and her engaging family popularized the sailor suit and kilt which were to become major fixtures of the 19th century boys' wardrobe. After mid-century knickers and kneepants became more common. The Eton collar became the standard dress for formal occasions. Major societal changes were at work in the Victorian era. We see knee pants and knickers at mid-century, although mostly for younger boys. They gradually grew in popularity for the rest of the century. We notice Fauntleroy styles in the late-19th century. We note some boys wearing kilt outfits when dressing up in the late-19th century. We are less sure how common they were for casual wear.

The 1800s

The decade trends in Scotlands are very similar to those we notice in England. There were differences, largely the result of the greater prosperity prevalent in England. There were also ethnic styles like kilts worn in Scotland. We notice, for example, more children going barefoot in Scotland throughout the century. We think this was very common in the early-19th century. We still notice three-cornered hats and knee breeches in the early-19th century. Gradually long pants became common for boys. This transitiion was more rapid for boys than youths and adult mens. The early 19th century was dominated by long pants skeleton suits and tunics. We are not sure about kilts. We believe that they were rather rare in the Lowlland, but we are less sure about the Highlands.

The 1820s

A Turner painting depicts George IV's visit to St. Giles church in Edinburgh about 1822. The visit was notable because the King wore a kilt. There was also a Scottish boy wearing a kilt in the painting suggesting kilts were being worn for dresswear in Edinburgh.

The 1840s

Major changes occurred during the Vicorian Era. The young Queen and her engaging family popularized the sailor suit and kilt which were to become major fixtures of the 19th century boys' wardrobe. Major societal changes were at work in the Victorian era. English artist William Allsworth provides a fascinating image of the Mckay family emigrting to New Zealand in 1844. They took eight children with them. As ahve The girls; clothing o not seem to jave a Scottish style, but the boys'clothing does. We see boys wearing dresses, tunics, pantalettes, and kilts along with a range of headwear.

The 1850s

Many were comfortable loose fitting garments. There were major changes at mid-centurty as new styles inspirred by Queen Victoria began to tale hold like sailor suits and kilts. The tightly buttoned Eton collar replaced ruffled collars and knee pants and knickers replaced long pants. We see knee pants and knickers at mid-century, although mostly for younger boys. They gradually grew in popularity for the rest of the century. After mid-century knickers and kneepants became more common. The Eton collar became the standard dress for formal occasions.

The 1880s

The comfortable styles of the early decade had become much more restrictive as well as more elaborate--culminating with the Fauntleroy suit of the 1880s. English boys throughout the 19th Century wore dresses as little boys. Styles were quite similr to those worn by their sisters in the early part of the century, but became more plain by the end of the century. The dresses followed the styles of the day, very long at the beginning of the century and becoming shorter as the century progressed. Shorter dresses were worn discreetly with pantalettes. Dresses were often worn with pinafores by both boys and girls, although only younger boys wore them. Pinafores became less common for younger boys by the end of the century. We are not sure how common smocks were in Scotland. We do notoice them being worn, but our archive is still very limited. The boys' style most associated with this period is the skeleton suit which dominated bous fashions in the first three decades of the century. Tunics were another popular style. We assume that trends were similar in Scotlnd to England, but we can not yet confirm this. It was in the Victorian age that many modern social values as wll as modern fashions began to appear and Queen Victoria and her family was at the center of it all. Fashionable English boys at the turn of the Century wore skeleton suits and tunics. Younger boys wore pantalettes, older boys long trousers. We notice Fauntleroy styles in the late-19th century. We note some boys wearing kilt outfits when dressing up in the late-19th century. We are less sure how common they were for casual wear.

The 1890s

This photograph here was taken during 1897 in Markinch (Gaelic: Marg Innis), a small town in the eastern central lowlands of Scotland (figure 1). Notice all the different caps and hats. Almost all the children are wearing headwear. The boys wear knee pants and many are barefoot. The girls wear dresses and many along with one younger boy wears pinafores. Notice that there are no kilts to be seen. We believe that this wiuld have been different in the Highlands. The clothing worn is indestinguishable from English villages at the time, although the stone houses area clue.

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Created: 6:57 AM 8/22/2011
Last updated: 8:07 PM 5/19/2016