We do not much have much information on the early 19th century. Some boys from wore fancy collars in the early 19th century. Open collars were common in the very early 19th century, but buttoned collars gradually becme more common. These were commonly worn by city boys from affluent families. America at the time was, howecer, largely rural and most rural boys wore very plain collars. We know much more about the mid-19th century as a result of the development of photography. We notice great variation both in style and size. Collars on boys' shirts tended to be very small in the mid-19th century. Often we can hardly see the collars in old portraits because they are so small and often covered by jackets. A good example of small collars is the Wallis brothers in 1852. We continue to see very small collars in the 1860s. An example of a boy wearing a collar so small that it can hardly be seen is C. Stewart in 1865. Collars increased in size by the late 19th century in some cases becoming huge. We note a range of collar styles for boys in the late 19th century. The governing rule seems to have been that the younger the boys the larger the collar. Younger boys in the late-19th century might wear lace collars and slightly later ruffled collars. Some were quite large and often worn with floppy bows. Some of the outfits seem to almost ebvelop small boys. We also note plainer Eton and Peter Pan collars. These might be worn by somewhat older boys. Eton collars were an popular style in the late-19th, although less so in American thannBritain. These were detachable collars worn with shirt waists. These could be quite large as well, but not as large as the lace and ruffled collars By the 1890s and turn of the 20th century, ruffled collars becamme more common. These collars were not just worn with Fauntleroy suits, but oin standard sack suits as well. Boys almost always buttoned their collars, even when not wearing neckwear.

The 1800s

We do not much have much information on the early 19th century. Some boys from wore fancy collars in the early 19th century. Open collars were common in the very early 19th century. These were commonly worn by city boys from affluent families. America at the time was, howecer, largely rural and most rural boys wore very plain collars.

The 1820s

Buttoned collars gradually became more common.

The 1840s

We note many varied collars, both styles and sizes in the 1840s. The Daguerreotype appeared in the 1840s and while the number of images is still limited, there are many more than in precious decades giving us a good idea about popular styles. We note an unidentified younger teenager wearing a good sized collar which looks like like a Peter Pan collar. We are unsure what the collar would have been called at the time. It is in the 1840s that the detachable collar was invented. It was a great boon to mothers because of the drugery involved in lundry at the time. Unfortunately it is often not possible to identify detachbkle collars in available imagery.

The 1850s

We know much more about the mid-19th century as a result of the development of photography. We have more imges from the 1850s, especially with the appernce of the Ambrotype. We notice great variation both incollar style and size. Collars on boys' shirts tended to be very small in the mid-19th century. Often we can hardly see the collars in old portraits because they are so small and often covered by jackets. A good example of small collars is the Wallis brothers in 1852.

Figure 7.--Here we see a family group in the 1860s. Notice boy's collar buttoning jacket and small collar. Actually many boys at the time had even smaller collars. Also notice the girl's matching dresses wiyhout collars.

The 1860s

We continue to see very small collars, almost always white collars in the 1860s. They were clearly not yet an important fashion item. The shirt or shirt-like garment was often quite small. Tom Baird wears a collar that you can barely see. And the collar was usually mostly covered up. We see this with various garments. Tunics were worn with and withoutcollars. A good examole is J. Bartlett. Collar-buttoning suit jackets were very popular at the time. We see many examples in the photographic record. Collar-buttoning jackets were prevalent, but not the only suit jackets that were worn. We see other jacket styles like cut-away jackets. Theoreticlly this would allow us to see shirts and blouses, but because vests (waistcoats) were common, the shirts commonly remained covered up. So unfortunately, often all we see in the formal studio photography of the day was a splash of white peaking out from a boy's suit jacket. This makes assessing collars in the 1860s very difficult. With the advent of the CDV and cabinent card, we have a huge photographic record to draw upon. Examples are archived throughout HBC. An example of a boy wearing a collar so small that it can hardly be seen is C. Stewart in 1865. Another is 9-year old Tom K. Christie in 1867. Girls collars could be very were very different. Girls dresses often did not have collars at all. Some were done with very open, low necklines. This included the dresses for biys not yet breched.

The 1870s

We contunue to see rather small collars in the 1870s, mostly the same styles as we see in the 1860s. Many garments could be worn with or without collars. We see that with tunics. Eton and Peter Pan styles were very important. Unfortunately we often see very little of the collars, especially in the early-1870s. Age was a factor affecting the collars that boys wore. So did the type of suit, which was also affected by age. Whuch we can see in American photographs. The collar buttoning jacket hiding the collar was still popular. Earlier they were single-breasted styles. We begin to see double-breasted styles in the 1870s. So we just see a small bit of collar peeking out over the jacket. A good examole is Minnie Tamn who has a shirt with a kind of ruff. And for the first time we begin to see large Eton collars like British boys were wearing. A good example is an unidentfied Boston boy with his faithful pooch. These larger collars would have been detachable collars. Some of these collat-buttoning jackets jackets actually were done with collars of their own collars so we see nothing of the shirt or shirt-like garment being worn. In addition to the suits that boys mostly wore, at least when dressing up for studio portaits. We also see a variety of button-on outfits. Some of these were done without collars. They do not seem mall that coomon, at leasr based on the photograohic record. An unidentified Boston boy in the 1870s provides a good example of the small collars, lthough little larger than what we often see in he 1860s. Sailor collars were becoming more prevalent as sailor suits had becomee increasingly popular. There was not yet a firmly established style. We see some sailor infliences on garments, sych as a back flap with out the traditiin front 'V". Collars began to increase in size during the 1870s and were definitely larger than in the 1860s, especially by the end of the decade. We do not notice any of the giant collars prevalent in the 1880s and 90s. That dies not mean that they did not exist, but the lack of examples in our archive suggests thatbthey were not yet a major fashion item.

Figure 9.-- We see collars inceasing in size during the 1870s from the often tiny 1860s collars. It is in the 1880s that collars become a dominnt part of the shirt or blouse. This was notable even before the Little Lord Fauntleroy Craze, but Fauntleroy sent the fashion world for boys jumped into overdrive. American boys had no isea what him them. And Fauntleroy styling focused very heavily on the collar.

The 1880s

Collars increased in size by the late-19th century in some cases becoming huge. We see collars inceasing in size during the 1870s from the often tiny 1860s collars. It is in the 1880s that collars become a dominnt part of the shirt or blouse. This was notable even before the Little Lord Fauntleroy Craze, but Fauntleroy sent the fashion world for boys jumped into overdrive. American boys had no isea what him them. And Fauntleroy styling focused very heavily on the collar. A good example is the larger, but not enormous collar worn by Iowa boy Carl Schrader about 1885. After that with the publication of Mrs. Burnett's book, Lttle Lord Fauntleroy (1885), collar sizes grew exponentially. We note a range of collar styles for boys in the late 19th century. The governing rule seems to have been that the younger the boys the larger the collar. Younger boys in the late-19th century might wear lace collars and slightly later ruffled collars. Some were quite large and often worn with floppy bows. Some of the outfits seem to almost envelop the smaller boys wearing them. We also note plainer Eton and Peter Pan collars. These might be worn by somewhat older boys. The wing collrwas also worn, but was primrily for adults. Eton collars were a popular style in the late-19th century, although less so in America than Britain. These were detachable collars worn with shirt waists. These could be quite large as well, but not as large as the lace and ruffled collars. A problem here is that floppy bows were so popular that we often do not see the tips of the collar. An example here is Eddie Wilson, a New Yoik boy in 1882. We can not tell, however, if he is wearing an Eton collar with pointed tips or a rounded Peter Pan collar.

Figure 10.--Collars for younger boys could be huge in the 1890s. This Kansas City boy wears a gigantic ruffled collar as part of his Fauntleroy blouce.

The 1890s

The Fauntleroy Craze extended into thec1890s. And many more boys wore Fauntleroy collars than Fauntleroy suits. Collars grew in size during the 880s ad by the 1890s, younger boys might wear huge collars. By the 1890s and turn of the 20th century, ruffled collars becamme more common than lace collars. Cost and size explain the varying prevalence. The ruffled collar became a very importnt fashion item for boys--mich more common tan on girls' dresses. These collars were not just worn with Fauntleroy suits, but on standard sack suits as well. A good example Charles Banthrop. Boys almost always buttoned their collars, even when not wearing neckwear. Eton collars were widelly worn. These were detachable collars worn on shirt waists.

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Created: 2:51 AM 8/25/2007
Last updated: 12:28 PM 4/27/2021