Figure 1.--This unidentified English boy has a CDV portrait taken, we think in the 1860s. The portrait is undated, but the sharp corners of the mount and the fact his jacket and pants do not match both suggest he 60s. Boyice the Glengary cap he is holding. The studio is John Foster in Coldstream. Coldstream is a town in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. The village lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire. Northumberland in England lies on the south bank. Fashions in the Borders area were essentially English. The Coldstream Guards were one of the most famous regiments in the British Army.

There are two isues concerning color. There are both the subject of matching suit garments and then different color shades used for suits. First, at the mid-19th century we see men and boys wearing suits that did not match, primarily meaning different colored jackets and pants. Vests might also vary. This could mean different colors or also different patterns. This normally but not always meant a different colored jacket or a jacket with a pattern and solid colored pants. This was not always the case as we also see patterned pants. Rarely do we see two different pattens for th jacket and pants. We note mostly matching jackets and pants by the 1870s. We are not yet sure about the 1860s. Second, is the actual color shades used for suits. Unfirtunately the black and white photography of the 19th and 20th century provide very little color information. So we are not sure about the 19th century. There is some information, including paintings, coloied images, and catalogs. We do note that in the 20th century grey became especially important for boys's suits.

Created: 4:58 AM 6/15/2017
Last updated: 4:58 AM 6/15/2017