Montgomery Ward: Zouave (Fauntleroy) Suits (1895)


Figure 1.-- The Ward'd catalog described these Fauntleroy suits as "Zouave" suits. We are not entirely sure why. The were classified as "Juvenile Suits" and were made for boys 3-7 years old. The garments look accurately depicted. We have not noted, however, hair styles like these in the photographic record.

Ward's offers two suits that we would call Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. They are under the heading "Juvenile Suits" and Ward's calls them Zouave suits. We have not noticed this term being extensively used to describe Fauntleroy suits. We are not precisely sure why Ward's used this term. Perhaps the term "Fauntleroy" was beginning to acquire negative connotations. Zouave with its military connotations may have been see as a more attractive marketing term. The suits were made in sizes 3-7 years.

Montgomery Ward

Although the word "consumerism" has a modern ring, it was personal concern for an early consumer movement, the "National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry,"That inspired a young traveling salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward to start the world's first general merchandise mail-order company in 1872. Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844, in Chatham, New Jersey, to a family whose forebears had served as officers in the French and Indian Wars as well as in the American Revolution. Looking for something more compatible, Monty left home and followed the river to Lake Michigan and the town of St. Joseph, county seat and market for outlying fruit orchards. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry goods trade and in the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter. As a retailer, Potter Palmer had previously built a reputation for fair dealing. Ward absorbed these principles while working as a clerk for $5. The Chicago City Directories for 1868 through 1870 listed Ward as a salesman for Wills, Greg & Co. and later for Stetthauers & Wineman, both dry goods houses. In 1870, after canvassing territory in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ward was again footloose. The plan shaping in Ward's mind was to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and cutting selling costs to the bone, he could offer goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices - for cash. Since its founding in 1872, the company has literally "grown up with America" and has had a major impact on the shopping habits of a nation of consumers. Montgomery Ward & Co. discontinued its catalog operations in 1 985 as part of its restructuring effort to change itself into a modern, competitive chain of value-driven specialty stores, a move which for a time saved the company. week.

Suits in the 1890s

Kilt suits and Little Lord Fauntleroy suits continued to be popular in the 1890s, especiallyb in America. Sailor suits became a standard for boys. The popularity and style varied from country to country. Boys increasingly wire kneepants suits. Knicker style pants were also popular, more in Europe than America. Eton suits were a popular style, but more likely to be worn with long pants. We notice some boys like the Syder brothers wearing the old small jackets, but increasingly in the 1890s boys were wearing full jackets that buttoned to the collar and modern-looking jackets with lapels.

Zouave Suits

France annexed Algeria in the early 19th century as part of European 19th century rush to colonize Africa. Military units were formed from Algeians sympathetic to the French. Later units were formed with French soldiers, but with uniforms with Algeian--baggy pants styling. These units and the styling was called Zouave. It became a popular style for French boys. After American units adopted the Zouave styling in the Civil War, it became popular with American boys. The two major elements were the small jacket and the bagguy pants.

Fauntleroy Suits

Fancy velvet suits for little boys began to appear in the early 1880s. The classic period, however, began with the publication of Mrs. Burnett's book in 1885-86. Her book popularized the style with romantically inclined mothers during the late Victorian period. The velvet suits and accompanying elaborate lace collars were soon bought not only for little boys, but older boys as well. The lace blouses dominated many of the origninal suits and the jackets were made small and worn open to show the blouses for maximum effect. Many mothers added large collar bows and long sausage curls to complete the effect.

Ward's Suits

Ward's offers two suits that we would call Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. The suits were made in sizes 3-7 years. The two suits pictured were quite varied. The style at left looks like suits we have seen in the photographic record. Notice the ruffled/lace collar and larfe floppy bow. We have not seen an outfit quite like the one pictured, at least the neckwear pictured. Note that what is offered here is the suit and not the fancy blouses that are depicted along with the suit in the illustration (figure 1).
30940: Zouave Suits, navy blue, twilled flannel, plain collar, black bead buttons on front, cuffs and knees of pants. 3 to 7 years. Each $2.00.
30942: Zouave Suits, navy blue flannel, fancy braided front and cuffs, 3 to 7 years. Each $2.25.
30944: Zouave Suits, black and gray diagonal wool cassimere, fancy braided front and cuffs, buckles and ribbon bow at knees of pants. 3 to 7 years. Each $2.25.

Terminology

They are under the heading "Juvenile Suits" and Ward's calls them Zouave suits. We have not noticed this term being extensively used to describe Fauntleroy suits. We are not precisely sure why Ward's used this term. Perhaps the term "Fauntleroy" was beginning to acquire negative connotations. Zouave with its military connotations may have been see as a more attractive marketing term.

Hair Styles

We have noted American boys wearing a variety of hair styles with Fauntleroy suits. These sryles have included short hair to long hair with ringle curls. We have not, however, noted in the photographic record hair styles like the ones depicted in the illustrations in the Ward's catlalog.






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Created: 4:14 PM 11/7/2004
Last updated: 4:14 PM 11/7/2004