Figure 1.---This cabinet card Portrait of two unidentified American boys shows them wearing collar-buttoning knee pants suits. At least they look like collar-buttoning jackets. The bows cover up the collar. It could be a lapel jacket with small lapels set high up pn the suitt. It is difficult to see because the floppy bows cover up the collar. Note how one boy's suit has abold pattern and his brother's suit has a muted pattern. The card has serated edges with smooth cornrs. The portrait was probably tken about 1890. It was taken at the Akin studio in Fall River, Massachusetts.

We note American boys wearing suits with a wide variety of patterns (figure 1). The patterns came in envelopes as can be seen here. Patterns have varied in popularity over time. During somne periods, boys have primarily worn suits with flat weaves and no patterns. At other times patterns have been very popular. This included at times very bold patterns. We have very little information on the early 19th century. At mid-century we tend to see primarily flat-weave suits for younger boys, albeit we see many suits with extensive emroidery and apliqué. Older boys wore boith flat-weave and patterened fabrics We note some suits with very bold patterns in the late-19th century. There seems no difference in formality between the bold and more muted pattrns. After the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see fewer rally bold fabrics and more solid colors. We note dark vlue suits with out any pattern n the 1910s. This became a standard for conservative boys suits. We also see black and grey suits. We note boldly patterened sports jackes in the 1940s, but for the most part the patterns for boys suits were relatively muted. Here social-class factors were nvolved. Working-class children were more likely to have patterened suits. More affluent families were more likely to buy consersvative solid-colored patterns for their boys.

The 19th Century

We note American boys wearing suits with a wide variety of patterns The patterns came in envelopes as can be seen here. Patterns have varied in popularity over time. During somne periods, boys have primarily worn suits with flat weaves and no patterns. At other times patterns have been very popular. This included at times very bold patterns. We have very little information on the early 19th century. The primary source of information on patterns is paintings and illystrations. These are very valuable for styling and color, but not for fabric patterns. This is because painting or drawging apattern is very time consumong and tedious. Thu the artists tended to paintsolid-colored fabric. This changes at mid-century afer the invention of photography. Not only do we begin tonget far more images, but an accurate depition of the bolder patterns. More muted patterns required a close-up photograph. At mid-century we tend to see primarily flat-weave suits for younger boys, albeit we see many suits with extensive emroidery and apliqué. Older boys wore boith flat-weave and patterened fabrics We note some suits with very bold patterns in the late-19th century. There seems no difference in formality between the bold and more muted pattrns. There were certain conventions. Little Lord Fauntleroy suits were almost done with material that did not have a pattern. It is not always clear on what basis the patterns were cjosen. We note portraits of brothers showing one boy with a boldly patterened suit and his brother with a muted pattern (figure 1).

The 20th Century

After the turn-of-the 20th century we begin to see fewer rally bold fabrics and more solid colors. We note dark vlue suits with out any pattern n the 1910s. This became a standard for conservative boys suits. We also see black and grey suits. We note boldly patterened sports jackes in the 1940s, but for the most part the patterns for boys suits were relatively muted. Here social-class factors were nvolved. Working-class children were more likely to have patterened suits. More affluent families were more likely to buy consersvative solid-colored patterns for their boys. Bold patterns might be worn for sports jackets, but not for suits. Patterns did not disappear, but they became very muted and do not even show up in many photographs.

Created: 3:05 AM 1/29/2009
Last updated: 3:06 AM 1/29/2009