Figure 1.--The floppy bow is most associated with the Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, although not always worn with it. This Boston boy in 1898 wears such a large floppy bow, that yoy can hardly see his jacket.

Floppy bows were very popular with American mothers in the late-19th abnd early-20th centuries. They were so popular that they added them to just about everything their sons wore. Boys commonly wore floppy bows when dressing up in suits. Floppy bows were most famously worn with the popular Fauntleroy suits of the day. Not all boys wore floppy bows with Fauntleroy suits, but many did. Boys not only wore floppy bows with actual Fauntleroy suits, but standard sack suits with Fauntleroy items like ruffeled collars. We also see floppy bows being worn with standard sack suits with out Fauntleroy items. We also see floppy bows being worn with kilt suits. Many boys wore floppy bows with fancy blouses during the Summer. Wearing floppy bows with fancy blouses was an optional matters. It was, however quite common. After the turn-of-the 20th century, floppy bows declined in popularity, but we see yonger boys wearing them with the popular fashions of the day.

Dresses

Kilt Suits

We also see floppy bows being worn with kilt suits. The kilt suit was popular at a time when younger boys generally wore large floppy bows of different colors and patterns. These bows were not peculiar to kilt suits, but rather commonly worn with Fauntkeroy suits and other outfits as well.

Fauntleroy Suits

Floppy bows were most famously worn with the popular Fauntleroy suits of the day. Not all boys wore floppy bows with Fauntleroy suits, but many did. One of the most destinctive elements of the American Fauntleroy suit was that it was often worn with large, carefully tied bows. These bows were also by European boys, but we see them more commonly in America. Fauntlerou suits were commonly worn both with and without these bows. Many American boys wwere outfitted with large bows to match the large collars that were also commonly worn with Fauntleroy suits. But the large collars were also commonly worn without these boys. Here it was up to the mother's preferences. I do not know if there were social class or other factors associated with the choice. As far as I can tell it was entirely random. We see a wide variety of different bows. There are both solid collored and patterned bows worn. Plaid seemd to have been very popular. The one thing we can't tell is the color because of the black and white photography of the day. The bows were not just worn with Fauntleroy suits. We also see older boys wearing them with sack or regular suits. Often boys when they first got sack suits wore them with floppy bows for a tear or two before beginning to wear more mature neckwear. .

Sailor Suits

Floppy bows were very popular for American boys in the late 19th and very early 20th centuries. Some mothers were not satisfied with the standard middy blouse scarfe and replaced them or even added the floppy bows that were popular in the late 19th century. This rather defeated one of the purpses of the sailor suit, a comfortable plain suit a boy could wear. Igt stood it stark contrast to the fancy Little Lord Fauntleroy suits of the late-19th century. In addition the open collar made the sailor suit much more comfortable to wear. We don't see a lot of boys wearing sailor suits with floppy bows, but it certainly was not unheard of.

Sack Suits

Boys not only wore floppy bows with actual Fauntleroy suits, but standard sack suits with Fauntleroy items like ruffeled collars. We also see floppy bows being worn with standard sack suits with out Fauntleroy items.

Eton Suits

Fancy Blouses

The fancy blouses worn by American boys during the late 19th and early 20thcenturies were worn both woth and without dloppy bows. This appears to have been entirely at the disgression of the mother's fashion sence. Bows were also popular for girls, especially hair bows. It is likely that girls took an interst in selecting and wearing bows. In the case for boys, however, it is likely that it was almost entirely bows that mother selected, insisted they wear, and did the bow tieing. We do not think adding floppy bow made the outfit any more dressy or formal. It was simply a fashionable decorative embellishment. Bows were worn with a variety of collar, some of which in the late 19th century were enormous.

Buster Brown Suits

Created: 5:42 AM 3/9/2009
Last updated: 5:43 AM 3/9/2009