Figure 1.--This page of the Altman catalog shows the kilt suits available as wll as kneepants and long pants suits as well as coats. The two garments in the middle or coats.
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Figure 1.--This page of the Altman catalog shows the kilt suits available as wll as kneepants and long pants suits as well as coats. The two garments in the middle or coats. |
The B. Altman No. 49 catalog offered a variety of kilt suits along with knee pants and long pants suits. They were dark garments, usually in blue, brown, and green. Common materials were flannel, cheviot, cashmere, and a variety of others fabrics. Some of the kilt suits had palid kiltskirts, but many were solid colors or muted patterns with the jacket matching theckiltskirt. They were available in both one-piece (bodice) and two-piece styles. These kilt suits were made for children up to 6 years which means presumably boys up to about 7 would have worn them.
Altman's in this catalog did not offer specifically boys' dresses. This means that before breeching that boys would have worn either these kilt suits or girls' dresses. Blouses suits were available for boys at age 4 and regular kneepants suits at age 5.
Unfortunatey we do not have the date of this catalog yet. HBC believes that it was probably the early 1880s.
Details on the specific styles offered included the following. All these different styles were offered in sized 2 1/2 to 6 years.
The ad copy read, "One piece Kilt, navy blue or brown flannel." $3.75. See figure 1. This is the second kilt suit from the right.
The ad copy read, "One piece Kilt, blue, brown or green Ladies Cloth with plaid skirt." $4.85. See figure 1. This is the kilt on the extreme right.
The ad copy read, "One piece Kilt, Fancy Mixed Cassimeres, or in plain blue flannel." $5.85.
The ad copy read, "One piece Kilt, English Cassimere, neat patterns." $6.50
The ad copy read, "Two piece Kilt, brown, blue or garnet Cassimere. $5.25. See figure 1. This is the secondc kit from the left.
The ad copy read, "Two piece Kilt, dark blue or fancy mixed Cheviot." $6.75
The ad copy read, "Two piece Kilt, English Cassimere, rich colorings." $7.25 and 8.50
The ad copy read, "Two piece Dress Kilt, Fine French Granite Cloth, dark blue or brown." $11.50 See figure 1. I believe dress kilt refers to this as an especilly nice kilt, suitable for dress occasions.
A HBC reader thinks it may have a different meaning. He comments, "You state that you think two piece Dress Kilt refers to Dress ocassion. I think the two piece Dress kilt refers to the Kilt being a dress or bodice kilt (one piece) and the 2nd piece being the jacket. I
think the fact that it has a jacket is why it is so expensive. I could be wrong, but maybe you want to review it." This occurred to HBC an quite frankly we are unsure. Hoefully we will eventually find some comtemprary written sorces which will provide more iformation. The kilr is pictured in figure 1. It is the kilt suit in the upper left corner of figure 1.
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