Figure 1.--This Eatons page from the Spring-Summer 1907 offered wash suits and kilt suits. The wash suits were both blouse and knee pants suits and Russian (tunic) suits. The kilt sits do not seem to be pictured. Theywerefor younger children. |
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Younger boys commonly wore a variety of skirted garment in the 19th century. This convention began to change in the 1890s and after the beginning of the 20th century century began to go out of style. This ocurred both in Europe and North America. The Eaton's catalog is one way we can track these conventions. We no longer see boy dresses in the 1907 catalog. We also do not see kilt suits, although probably reflecting how popular kilt suits once were, Eatons does continue to use the term. The one exception to this shift away from skirted garments is tunic suits which were very popular and prominantly featured in the 1907 Eaton's catalog. Eatons does not call them tunic suits, but rather kilt suits and Russian suits. They are, however, what HBC refers to as tunic suits. We note American catalogs also had various terms for tunic suits. In addition to tunic suits, we also notice a skirted middy blouse outfit which Eatons also calls a kilt suit.
Younger boys commonly wore a variety of skirted garment in the 19th century. This convention began to change in the 1890s and after the beginning of the 20th century century began to go out of style. This ocurred both in Europe and North America. The Eaton's catalog is one way we can track these conventions in Canada.
We no longer see boy dresses in the 1907 catalog.
We also do not see kilt suits, although probably reflecting how popular kilt suits once were, Eatons does continue to use the term. We are a little confused as to whether Eatons actually offered kilt suits. There are to listed with the boys' wash suits whiich included a range of sailor outfit done as both tunic suits and blouuses with knee pants. Without seeing an illustration weare not sure just what kind of garment Eatons is offered. They were for very young chidren, 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age.
Eatons offered one Highland kilt outfit. It was shown on the page with sailor suits. It is E3-2075. The ad copy read, "Children’s Highland costumes. Coat, vest, and cap of blue-black silk, skirt of Gordon and Royal Stuart tartan, sporan and [knee] stockings, as cut E3-2075. Sizes 21 to 25. $12.50." The use of the term "children's" seems curious. A Highland kilt outfit was a boy's outfit. The term children is mostly used for boys and girls. It is included, however, on a page with only boys’ clothes. We are not sure if girls in Canada wore Hihjland outfits. Conventions could have been different than in Scotland.
The one exception to this shift away from skirted garments is tunic suits which were very popular and prominantly featured in the 1907 Eaton's catalog. Eatons does not call them tunic suits, but rather Russian suits. They are, however, what HBC refers to as tunic suits. We note American catalogs also had various terms for tunic suits. There were tunic suits offered with the regular sailor suits in addition to to the tnnic suits offered here.
In addition to tunic suits, we also notice a skirted middy blouse outfit which Eatons also calls a kilt suit.
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