Figure 1.--This unidentified Zmerican book looks gto be about 11-12 years old, although we are not entirely sure. The protrait was probanly taken in the early-80s. All we know for sure is that the studio was H.L. Bundy in Harford, Conndcticut. He did not have any neckwear, but is holding the rounded-crown that he wore with the suit. Some of these hats had streamers. This boy's hat had wide hat band, but did not have any streamers. Note the ring and watch fob. Also note that he has buttoned the jacket collar button over his shirt.

We notice boys wearing a wide range of garments with collar-buttoning jackets. The pants made up the suit and normally matched the jacket, at least by the 1860s. The other items were entirely up to mother abd as he got older, the boy. We mostly see boys wearing various kinds of rounded-crown hats with collar-buttoning jackets. We suspect that the military-look version was worn with vsrious caps, but we have very few military versions with headwear. Most of the rounded-crown hats worn with the collar-buttoning jackets had narrow brims. we see very few wiyh the wide-brim hats worn by younger boys. Neckwear varied widely over time. It was not worn with the military-styled jackets. Nor was it very common with the civilian version, alyhough we see a ramge of small neck-wear types (1860s-70s). We see neckwear becoming mpre popular in the late-19th century, especially with the Fsuntleroy craze (1885). Mothers varied, but some began adding floppy bows and even large fancy collars. We are not entirely sure what kind of shirt or shirt-like garment was worn with these jackets. We see thesejackers worn with and without collar jackets showing. With the collars buttoned you could not see what was worn underneath. A good example is the jacket worn by Jesse Bell in 1884. These coats had collars rather than lapels. But some were worn so that a shirt collar of some kind peeped out at the collar. With the onset of the Fauntleroy craze (1885), mothers could not help themselves from adding fancy collsrs to tthese collsr-buttoning suits. These collars began to get larger and by the end of the decade large ruffled collars cimmonly covered up the collars of the jackets. The photographic record suggests that collar buttoning jackets were almost always wotn with two types of pants, We note collar-buttoning jackets being worn with both knee pants and long trousrs. The tyoe of pants was largely a chronological function. When they first appeared in the mid-19th century, knee pants were not yet very common. Thus we see them bring worn mostly with with long pants during the 1850s and 60s. Gradually knee pats became fashionable more common. During this period the length of kneepants varies. They tended to be quite long in the 1860s and gradually became shorter until they were knee-length by the 1890s. They were almost always worn with long stockings which also varied during this period. By the 1890s almost all boys wearing collar-buttoning jackets were wearing knee pants. We don't see them commonly being done with knickers. This was because knickers became popular suring the 1910s in America after collar-buttoning jackets had gone out of fashion. Collar buttoning jackets were usually worn with knee pants, althouigh this vsries over time. The military versions were worn with long pants. The civilian version were commonly worn wiyh knee pants, but here age was a factor and it varied over time. Mostly younger boys wore knee pants, but by the 90s we see older boys. Virtually all the boys wearing these jackets with knee psnts wore long stockings. Some boys went barefoot, but when wearing shoes it was almost always with long stockings. We are unsure what kind of hosiery the boys with long pants wore.

Headwear

We mostly see boys wearing various kinds of rounded-crown hats with collar-buttoning jackets. We suspect that the military-look version was worn with various csps, but we have very few military versions with headwear. Mpost of the rounded-crown hats worn with the collar-buttoning jackets had narrow brims. we see very few wiyh the wide-brim hats worn by younger boys.

Neckwear

Neckwear varied widely over time. It was not worn with the military-styled jackets. Nor was it very common with the civilian version, alyhough we see a ramge of small neck-wear types (1860s-70s). We see neckwear becoming mpre popular in the late-19th century, especially with the Fsuntleroy craze (1885). Mothers varied, but some began adding floppy bows and even large fancy collars.

Shirts and Collars

We are not entirely sure what kind of shirt or shirt-like garment was worn with these jackets, but it is a topic we have begun to address. We see these jackers worn with and without shirt collars jackets. And we are not sure if the boy buttoned the jacket over a shirt collar or if he was wearing a shirt waist without a collar. With the collars buttoned you could not see what was worn underneath. A good example is the jacket worn by Jesse Bell in 1884. These coats had collars rather than lapels. But some were worn so that a shirt collar of some kind peeped out at the collar or was fully vissible, this and the style of thecollar varied over time. With the onset of the Fauntleroy craze (1885), mothers could not help themselves from adding larger, often fancy collsrs to these collar-buttoning suits. These collars began to get larger and by the end of the decade, large ruffled collars commonly covered up the collars of the jackets. Another issue is that therewere also derachable collars during the period that collar buttoning jackers were worn. We suspect that the smallar collars were part of the short, but that the larger collars such as Eton collars wre delachable. The large ruffled Fauntleroy collars for smaller boys were commonly part of the blouse. Actual lace collars, however, might be pinned on to the jacket.

Pants

The photographic record suggests that collar buttoning jackets were almost always wotn with two types of pants, We note collar-buttoning jackets being worn with both knee pants and long trousrs. The tyoe of pants was largely a chronological function. When they first appeared in the mid-19th century, knee pants were not yet very common. Thus we see them bring worn mostly with with long pants during the 1850s and 60s. Gradually knee pats became fashionable more common. During this period the length of kneepants varies. They tended to be quite long in the 1860s and gradually became shorter until they were knee-length by the 1890s. They were almost always worn with long stockings which also varied during this period. By the 1890s almost all boys wearing collar-buttoning jackets were wearing knee pants. We don't see them commonly being done with knickers. This was because knickers became popular suring the 1910s in America after collar-buttoning jackets had gone out of fashion.

Hosiery

Collar buttoning jackets were usually worn with knee pants, althouigh this vsries over time. The military versions were worn with long pants. The civilian version were commonly worn wiyh knee pants, but here age was a factor and it varied over time. Mostly younger boys wore knee pants, but by the 90s we see older boys. Virtually all the boys wearing these jackets with knee psnts wore long stockings. Some boys went barefoot, but when wearing shoes it was almost always with long stockings. We are unsure what kind of hosiery the boys with long pants wore.

Created: 12:40 AM 11/16/2011
Last updated: 7:09 PM 11/16/2013