Figure 1.-This cabinet card portrait shows two unidentified Oregon siblings. They look to be about 5-8 years old. The girl wears alight-colored dress with a kind of lacy pinafore overlay. Notice the jump rope. This is a toy we do not often see as a studio prop. The boy wears a collared collar-butoning suit with Norfolk styling and cloth covered buttons. We thinkn the portarit was takenn in the early-1880s. This was just before large collars and floppy bows became fasdhionanlr so we can clratly sse the jacket collar. Note his matching roundded crown hat layed on the floor.

There are two basic types of collar buttoning suits. These are jackers with and without collars. We see these jackets when the first appeared with and without collars. In the mid-19th century we see many examples without collars. All we usually see is a white blouse collar peaking up at the neck. As the century progressed we see more collar-bttoning suits with attached collars. The boy's jacket here, we think in the 1870s, is a good example. There were different kinds of collars. Many like the boy we see here had collars like shirts. This seems to be the nost comnon variant. We see other collars with back flaps. Unfortunately this becomes difficult to track in the 1880s because of the huge Fauntleroy collars and floppy bows that became fashionable. They sare so large that they cover up the collar area and we thus have no idea wether or not most of the jackets had collars and what the collar was like if there was one. Most likely they did and were simply covered up, but we can not confirm this with the photographic record even though we have archived large numbers of images. Collars and bows declined in size after the turn-of-the 20th centurty, but by this time, the collar-buttoning jacket was declining in popularity.

Two Types

There are two basic types of collar buttoning suits. These are jackers with and without collars.

Without collars

We see these jackets when the first appeared with and without collars. In the mid-19th century we see many examples without collars. All we usually see is a white blouse collar peaking up at the neck. The collar of the shirt becomes the dominant fearure. Collars and neck wear was reltively restrained (through the 1880s). Thus we can see the collar area.

With collars

As the century progressed we see more collar-bttoning suits with attached collars. There is a shirt or blouse underneath, but the top collar if there was one was generally worn under thge jacket and covered up by the jacketr collar. The boy's jacket here, we think in the 1870s, is a good example (figure 1). There were different kinds of collars. Many like the boy we see relatively small collars like shirts. This seems to be the most comnon variant. We see other collars with back flaps. The back flap was intriduced as part of sailor suits. Collar-buttoning suits of corse did not have the sailor V-front, but some did have the back flap.

Tracking Problem

Unfortunately the collar issue becomes difficult to track in the 1880s because of the huge Fauntleroy collars and floppy bows that became fashionable. They sare so large that they cover up the collar area and we thus have no idea wether or not most of the jackets had collars and what the collar was like if there was one. The fsact that some laoel jckets had high-set lapels add to he assessment problem. Most likely they did and were simply covered up, but we can not confirm this with the photographic record even though we have archived large numbers of images. Collars and bows declined in size after the turn-of-the 20th centurty, but by this time, the collar-buttoning jacket was declining in popularity.

Created: 5:57 PM 2/10/2023
Last updated: 2:10 AM 7/15/2026