Figure 1.--These unidentified boys look to be about 5-9 years old. They look to be wearing regular suits with detachable Eton collars along with floppy bows. They look to be a pastel color. This oval portrait is undated, but the mount suggests the 1900s to us. The card has a impressed studio marking, but it difficult to read. The studio is Caldwell, but we can not read the city and state.

We note boys wearing floppy bows with a variety of and blouses and other shirt-like garments. They were worn both with and without suit jackets. Floppy bows in the 1900s were most associated with outfits for younger boys such as Fauntleroy suits, but we see older boys wearing them as well with standard suits. Floppy bows were commonly worn as part if Fauntleroy outfits, but not only Fauntleroy outfits. We see boys wearing them both with Fautleroy collars and wide white collars many are done as Eton collars. The floppy bow was an optionl item. We see boys with Fauntleroy outfits both with abd without floppy bows. A good example is an unidentified Allentown, Pennsylvania boy. He is wearing age floppy bow with a smart sailor suit. Another good example is Raymond J.D. Webb about 1900. He is wearing a double-breasted suit, which looks like it was made to be worn open. Another example is Frank Schrerer with a Fauntleroy blouse and no jacket about 1905. Another example is Charles Dorff who was wearing a floppy bow with an Eton collar about 1905. Floot bows were not only worn with Fauntleroy blouses and Eton collars. We also see them worn with standard suits with various other collars. This often involved older pre-teens or at first younger teens who got their first standard suit and mother had them wear floppy bows with them so they did not look too mature. By the end of the decade we see fewer younger teens with floppy bows. This varied greatly from family to family.

Fauntleroy Suits and Blouses

Floppy bows in the 1900s were most associated with outfits for younger boys such as Fauntleroy suits, but we see older boys wearing them as well with standard suits. We see boys with Fauntleroy outfits both with and without floppy bows. Another example is Frank Schrerer with a Fauntleroy blouse and no jacket about 1905.

Standard Suits

Floppy bows were not only worn with Fauntleroy blouses and Eton collars. Floppy bows were commonly worn as part of Fauntleroy outfits, but not only Fauntleroy outfits. Another good example is Raymond J.D. Webb about 1900. He is wearing a double-breasted suit, which looks like it was made to be worn open. We also see them worn with standard suits with various other collars. This often involved older pre-teens or at first younger teens who got their first standard suit and mother had them wear floppy bows with them so they did not look too mature. By the end of the decade we see fewer younger teens with floppy bows. This varied greatly from family to family.

Eton Collars

We see boys wearing them both with Fautleroy collars and wide white collars many are done as Eton collars. The floppy bow was an optionl item. WWe see Eton collars both with and without neckwear. The biys here wear stanfard suits with big floppy bows that liik to be astel color (figure 1). A good example of a floppy bow and Eton collar is Charles Dorff who was wearing a floppy bow with an Eton collar about 1905.

Sailor Suits

He is wearing age floppy bow with a smart sailor suit. Another example is unidentified Allentown, Pennsylvania boy.

Created: 5:52 PM 3/12/2013
Last updated: 5:52 PM 3/12/2013