Figure 1.--Here we see a family all dressed up for a studio portrait. Mother and father are stylishy dressed. Th boys ;ook to be about 6-16 years of age. The younger boys wear suits with open jackets. This was unusual and not oftn seen in studio portraits. The younger boy's jacket is a collar-buttoning jacket and has a collar rather than lapels. Notice the vertical vents. As was common at the time the suit material is done in a pattern. The portrait is not dated, but looks like the early-1890s to us. The studio was Weber in Eire, Pennsylvania.

Boys commonly wore suits in the 1890s. The great bulk of studio portraits shows boys wearing suits. During hot summer weather they may not, unlike their fathers, wear suit jackets, but the suit was the standard garment throughout the decade. There were many different kinds of suits. We still note kilt suits and Fauntleroy suits for younger boys. The Fauntleroy suit cotinued to be a popular style. We note boys from a wider social cross section wearing Fauntleroy suits in the 1890s. They were comminly, but not always done in black velvet. The Fauntleroy suit cotinued to be a popular style. This was the height of the Fauntleroy craze. Some kilt suits were done with Fauntleroy styling. Sailor suits were a very popular choice in the 1890s and worn by somewhat older boys. We note sailor suits earlier, It was not until the 1890s, however, that the sailor suit became a standard style for boys and traditional styling becomes increasingly standard. Older boys wore more modern-looking sack suits. Suits were a very important garment at the time. Most boys wore suits to school. We see quite a range of suit styles. A good example of the different types are the suits woen by boys at a Lexington school in 1892. Many destinctive styles appeared such as Norfolk suits. There were single and double breasted suits. Lapels could be quite high, but this varied chronologically. Patterns were very common, some times loud patterns. Gradually more boys began wearing knee pants. By the 1890s even older teenagers begin wearing knee pants, especially in the cities. Knee pants were very common, but not universal.

Prevalence

Boys commonly wore suits in the 1890s. The great bulk of studio portraits shows boys wearing suits. During hot summer weather they may not, unlike their fathers, wear suit jackets, but the suit was the standard garment throughout the decade.

Jacket Types

There were many different kinds of suits. We still note kilt suits and Fauntleroy suits for younger boys. The Fauntleroy suit cotinued to be a popular style. We note boys from a wider social cross section wearing Fauntleroy suits in the 1890s. They were commonly, but not always done in black velvet. The Fauntleroy suit cotinued to be a popular style. This was the height of the Fauntleroy craze. Some kilt suits were done with Fauntleroy styling. Sailor suits were a very popular choice in the 1890s and worn by somewhat older boys. We note sailor suits earlier, It was not until the 1890s, however, that the sailor suit became a standard style for boys and traditional styling becomes increasingly standard. Older boys wore more modern-looking sack suits. Suits were a very important garment at the time. Most boys wore suits to school. We see quite a range of suit styles. A good example of the different types are the suits woen by boys at a Lexington school in 1892. Many destinctive styles appeared such as Norfolk suits. There were single and double breasted suits. Lapels could be small and set quite high, but this varied. And we continue to see a lot of boys wearting collar-buttoning jackers rather than lapel jackets.

Color and Patterns

Patterns were very common, some times loud patterns.

Pants

Gradually more boys began wearing knee pants. By the 1890s even older teenagers begin wearing knee pants, especially in the cities. Knee pants were very common, but not universal. They were less common in rural areas.

Created: 12:11 AM 5/23/2014
Last updated: 11:09 PM 8/5/2017