Figure 1.--Button-on suits were very popular in the 1860s and we continue to see them in the 1870s, especially the early-70s. The 1860s suits wgich we see in large numbers generally came without jackets. As suits with jackets were becoming increasingly popular, we see some boys wearing these button-on suits with matching jackets. The unidentified Oregon boy here is a good example. The CDV portrait is undated, but the rouned corners suggest the 1870s. The button-on suit and white stockings suggest the early-70s. Noticing the piping and stripe on the pants. He looks to be about 3 years old. Many boys this age in the 1860s were not yet breeched. He seems to have a hair bow with his ringlets. The studio was Davidson in Portland, Oregon.

Suits were very common in the late-19th centyry. Both formality and the vast wealth being created by the rapidly indusrtialising American economy were important factors. And we notice American boys wearing a wide range of suit styles. Generally the name of the suit was derived from the jacket or coat style. There were different types of pants, but they were worn with the various jacket styles and did not affect the suit names. We note both juvenile and more mature styles. The juvelile styles included cut-away, Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and button-on styles. The more mature styles include: cut-away jackets, different styles of sack suits, like single- and double-breasted jackets, Norfolk jackets. There were also Eton suits. The popularity of these different suits and stylistic differences varied over time, including the three decades of the late-19th century. A complication here is the accompanying neckwear and collars can change the look of a suit. Eton and Fauntleroy collars for exmple can make a standard suit look like a very different suit. This wa especially the case in hate-19th century. W note more different styles of suit during this narrow period than any other similar historical period. And it is also the time that we see the fanciest suit styles, largely because of the Funtleroy Craze. .

Juvenile Suits

We notice a range of juvenile suits in the late-19th century. Suits were very common in the late-19th centyry. Both formality and the vast wealth being created by the rapidly indusrtialising American economy were important factors. And we notice American boys wearing a wide range of suit styles. Generally the name of the suit was derived from the jacket or coat style. There were different types of pants, but they were worn with the various jacket styles and did not affect the suit names. We note both juvenile and more mature styles. The juvelile styles included cut-away, Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and button-on styles. Until the 1860s many boys did not have suit jackets when dressing up, especually the younger boys and boys from families tht were not affluent. We see this nd the Daguerreotypes from the 1840s-50s. Many boyswore blouses rather than jackets. And Dags were expensive meaning that they primarily picure the affluent. This changed suddenly in the 1860s, we think because of the increasing afflunce of the United States. People could afford to dress their children better, evenworking-class families. And the CDVs that appeared in he 1860s were so inexpoensive that most families could afford a studio portrait,

Kilt suit jackets

Cut-away Jackets

Button-on suits

Button-on suits were very popular in the 1860s and we continue to see them in the 1870s, especially the early-70s. The 1860s suits wgich we see in large numbers generally came without jackets. As suits with jackets were becoming increasingly popular, we see some boys wearing these button-on suits with matching jackets. We continue to see waistbnd to cover the waist buttons. The waistband The unidentified Oregon boy here is a good example (figure 1). The CDV portrait is undated, but rhe rouned corners suggest the 1870s. The button-on suit and white stockings suggest the early-70s.

Fauntleroy Suits

It is of course the fancy Faunteroy suits that come to mind when late 19th century boys' suits come to mind. Large numbers of boys wore them, but alsways a minority. The original Fauntleroy suits were quite expensive, but more modestly priced suits were widely available by the 1890s. The most recognizable style of the late 19th century is of course the Little Lord Fauntleroy suit made famous by Francis Hobson Burnett's classic novel, Little Lord Fauntleroy which was published in 1885. After the publication of her book, the Fauntleroy craze was on. The velvet suit, lace collar, and of course ringlet curls became the bane of American boyhood. The style persisted for more than a generation. The style was not created in a vaccume. Mothers had begun to dress little boys in fancy velvet suits before the publication of Mrs. Burnett's book, but the publication of the book created a Fauntleroy craze and soon increasingly fancy outfits for small boys. Some mothers even dressed older boys in the elaborate outfits, usually with some resistance on the boy's part--even in those more complant days.

Sailor Suit

The sailor suit came into its own during the late 19th century. Virtually everty boy wore them. Many suits while not precisely sailor suits had some aspect of sailor sttyling The sailor suit emerged in the 1870s as an increasingly important style for boys. There were a wide variety of styles worn. The classic styits followed the styling of actual national sailor uniforms. Mother being mothers, many selected more fanciful styling which could include lace and rufles for the younger boys. The popularity grew steadily until the 1890s when it was the single most popular style for boys.

Older Boy Suit Styles

Collar-buttoning jackets

Eton suits

Norfolk styling

Single-breasted jackets

Double-breasted jackets

Double breasted styling appeared on a variety of garments. Some sailor suits even had double breasted styling.

Sack suits

Many boys suits were stlied very simply in the late 19th century. Many boys wore heavy coat like jackets. They buttoned at the collar and had collars rather than lapels. There were no collars to be seen so it is unclear just what shirts they were worn with. Boys might wear them with long pants, but knee pants were more common.

Created: 7:25 AM 7/19/2016
Last updated: 7:25 AM 7/19/2016