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United States boys clothes: suits components jackets suit styles Eton
United States Suit Jackets: Eton Suits
Figure 1.--This CDV of an unidentified American boy was taken in Belfast, Naine. It is undated, but we think it may have been made in the 1870s, perhaps the late-80s. Note the jacket without lapels. We have seen cut-away jackets without lapels, but this is not a cut-away jacket. He looks about 8-years old. He looks to be wearing a medium-sized Eton collarm although we can not see the tips. Note the small boy he is wearing. We have vnot seen many American boys in the 1870s wearing jackets like this. Notice the number of buttons.
Eton suits appeared in the late 19th century. They had destinctive small jackets worn with stiff Eton collars and were mosly worn in England. The Eton suit can be confused because the Eton collar was very widely worn. Portaits show that the Eton collar and Eton suits had crossed the Atlantic as early as the 1840s. I do not know, however, just how popular the style was. The American primitive show here for a variety of reasons. HBC is fairly confident that the style of their suit and collar was inspired by the English Eton suits, the shape of the collars, the short black jackets, the long grey trousers all point to this.A British expert on Eton collars, however, notes that he wouldn't call the relatively unstiff flat-down-upon-the-shoulders collars depicted in the painting of the American brothers true Eton Collars. Although the latter probably evolved from the earlier type they are different in important respects. "The true English Eton Collar stands higher and is much stiffer--and presumably rather more uncomfortable." Photographic evidence and fashion catalogs suggest that Eton suits and collars were not nearly as popular in America as in England. Eton suits were being worn by American boys in the late-19th century and at the turn of the century. The boys wearing them, however, are generally boys from affluent families. The style was much less commonly worn by middle-class boys. The collar itself was more popular than the entire suit. The Eton collr in America was much more commonly worn with sack suit jackets than actual Eton suit jackets. While wealthy boys might wear a proper Eton suit, more common was the Eton collar with an ordinary suit. While the Eton suit generally disappeared in the 1910s, the Eton collar continued to be worn with suits into the 40s. A destinctly American off shoot of the Eton suit was the American Eton suit which was beginnng in the late 1920s wiorn by younger American boys, a suit with a short lapeless jacket usually with suspender short pants. A juvenile Eton suit became a popular style for younger boys in the 1920s and continues to be worn today. It was initially worn with an Eton collar, but by the 1930s, Peter Pan collars had become more common.
Chronology
Eton suits appeared in the late 19th century. They had destinctive small jackets worn with stiff Eton collars and were mosly worn in England. The Eton suit can be confused because the Eton collar was very widely worn. Portaits show that the Eton collar and Eton suits had crossed the Atlantic as early as the 1840s. I do not know, however, just how popular the style was. The American primitive show here for a variety of reasons. HBC is fairly confident that the style of their suit and collar was inspired by the English Eton suits, the shape of the collars, the short black jackets, the long grey trousers all point to this. Eton suits were being worn by American boys in the late-19th century and at the turn-of-the century.
We at first note boys wearing Eton collars with suits. By thisx we mean a large stiff stand-upn collar cwith points. A British expert on Eton collars, however, notes that he wouldn't call the relatively unstiff flat-down-upon-the-shoulders collars depicted in the painting of the American brothers true Eton Collars. Although the latter probably evolved from the earlier type they are different in important respects. "The true English Eton Collar stands higher and is much stiffer--and presumably rather more uncomfortable." The Eton collar was not just worn with Eton suits. The collar itself was more popular than the entire suit. The Eton collar in America was much more commonly worn with sack suit jackets than actual Eton suit jackets. While wealthy boys might wear a proper Eton suit, more common was the Eton collar with an ordinary suit. While the Eton suit generally disappeared in the 1910s, the Eton collar continued to be worn with suits into the 40s.
Popularity
Photographic evidence and fashion catalogs suggest that Eton suits and collars were not nearly as popular in America as in England.
Social Class
The boys wearing them, however, are generally boys from affluent families. The style was much less commonly worn by middle-class boys.
A destinctly American off shoot of the Eton suit was the American Eton suit which was beginnng in the late 1920s worn by younger American boys. This differeed in many ways from the standard Eton suit of the 19th abd early-20th century. Itvwas a suit with a short lapeless jacket usually with suspender short pants. A juvenile Eton suit became a popular style for younger boys in the 1920s and continues to be worn today. It was initially worn with an Eton collar, but by the 1930s, Peter Pan collars had become very common as well. While these syuts first appeared in America, we see the style being vadopted in nother countries as well.
