Figure 1.--This cabinet cardportrair shows two unidentifued brothers. They look to be about 4-7 years of age. The portrait is undated, but the fashions and mount suggest the 1890s, probably the early-90s. The oldr bboys wears a vested cuu-away jacket, Cut-away jackets were nit common at the time except for Fauntleroy suits, He also has a large white, probably Eton collar worn wuth a large flooy bow. The outfit is completed with matching knee pants and long stocking probably black. Black was a very common color for long stockings in the 90s, but not universal. His younger brother wears a sailor-styled kilt suit with ringlet curls. He also has long stockings, but they may not be black. The studio is Geo. E. Coletlo, Northampton, Massachusetts.

Parents had definite ideas about the garmnts appropriae for different ages. The exact age conventions varied from family to family. Young boys throgout the19th century wore dresses or oher skirted garments until breeching. This varied from family to family,but generally took place from 3-6 yeats of age. Social class differences were a factor here. This had been the case for centuries, but we notice notable changes. We see fewer boys wearing dresses. We are not sure about the chronolkogy, but we do see this shift becoming more pronouced as the decade progressed. We see more boys wearing kilt suits than dresses and to an older age than dressed. We also see a lot of boys being breeched at at an earlier age than common in the 19th century. This seems to have been at least partly the result of the Fauntleroy craze. Fauntlerou suits done with knee pants were so popular that many mothers were willing to breech their boys earlier than they might have done. Sailor suits were a style that kind bridged the gap between these juvenile styles and older boy styles and were very popular during the 1890s. For the most part when boys began school at age 6 years they were breeched and wearing knee pants suits. This is confirmed by the photographic record. Some boys from well-to-do families might be tutored at home and contine to wear more juvenile styles. The same geneal pattern was true of hair cuts. Boys generally wore short hair, at least school-age boys. Younger boys might have longer hair and curls, The age at wgich a boy's hair was cut was another mater like breeching hat families had to decide. Again social-class factors were involved. As a result of the Fauntleroy craze, we see quite anumber of boys with riglet curls.

Created: 9:01 AM 10/18/2015
Last updated: 9:01 AM 10/18/2015