Figure 1.--.
|
Figure 1.--. |
American mail order catalogs offer a very view of the styles and garments over time to help us view changing fashion trends. Suits were made for girls in the 1880s. Along with the misses' (girls') suits were "children's suits". HBC is not sure if this
meant younger girls or the use of the word "chidren" meant that that were suitable for younger boys and girls. Tere are some suits that a younger boy may have wornm especially on page 45, but the other pages seem more clearly girls' garments. The B. Altman No. 49 catalog has three pages of misses and children's skirted suits. Some of the pages are titled cloaks and suits. At this time HBC does not know the date of this catalog, but believes it was the early 1880s, perhaps late 1870s. These skirted garments are probably referred to as suits because they had jacket like garments which were made in the same material as the skirted part of the garment. Curriosly, outfits for two different age groups are mixed on each of three pages.
Altman on page 45 offered skirted suits for two age groups, 4 to 10/12 years and 10 to 16 years. The younger children's styles have shorter skirts and more recognizeable jackets. Most of the younger children's suits are worn with large, but not huge floppy bows. The suits are mostly dark colors, primarily brown, blue, and gray.
Altman on page 46 offered skirted suits for two age groups, 4 to 10/12 years and 10 to 16 years. The younger children's styles have shorter skirts and more recognizeable jackets. The suits are available in dark colors, garnet, brown, blue, and gray, but there are also some suits in red and light blue. Cloaks seems to refer to coats.
Altman on page 47 offered more skirted suits for two age groups, 4 to 10/12 years and 10 to 16 years. The younger children's styles have shorter skirts and more recignizeable jackets. The suits are available in dark colors, garnet, brown, blue, and gray, but there are also some suits in red and light blue.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main American mail order misses' suit page]
[Return to the Main American mail order misses' coat page]
[Return to the Main American mail order page]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Bibliographies]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Contributions]
[Countries]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
