|
This article appeared on page 135 of The Delineator September 1880 issue. The illustration was on page 186. As was common at the time, "costume" is used to describe the garment rather than a more descriptive term that would help classify the garment. The Deleneator goes in to great detail about the construction of the garment, but really never tells us just what it is. It looks rather like a kilt suit, but as far as e can tell was consrtucted more like a dress in one piece. This can be seen best in the back view.
The Delinleator was an especially important publication for fashion history. Along with the illustrations were very detailed discussions of the contruction, ornamentation, and fabrics. This article appeared on page 135 of the Delineator September 1880 issue. The illustration was on page 136.
As was common at the time, "costume" is used to describe the garment rather than a more descriptive term that would help classify the garment. Costume was commonly used to mean suit when desribing boys clothing. The Dileneator goes in to great detail about the construction of the garment, but really never tells us just what it is. It looks rather like a kilt suit, but as far as e can tell was consrtucted more like a dress in one piece. This can be seen best in the back view. What is not entirely clear to us is why a dress was made to look like a kilt suit. Why not just wear a kilt suit.
The Dileneator suggests this garment for both boys and girls of 2-6 years of age. This is inteesting because kilt suits themselves were a boys' garment.
The Delineator text read:"No. 7186--Nothing prettier, in the way of a costume for a tiny, toddling girl, or an active, sturdy boy, could be devised than the pretty costumed pictured in these engravings. The material selected for the model is also very pretty, being fine black and white Oxford check corduroy, which looks like velvet. The body has the coat effect, the fronts being cut in the shape of a short, curaway coat, rounding away from the termination of the closing and overlapping in the double-breasted style. There is a shallow under-arm dart at each side, which produces a graceful shapeliness, and at the lower part of the under-arm edge is allowed a narrow, ponted extension. The back is fitted by a seam through the center and extends the full length of the costume, the center seam terminating a little below the waist-line, where the extra width is folded in a box-plait on the under side. There are also extra widths at the front edges of the back sections, which are turned under in side-plaits, and the effect of these under-plaits is to produce two wide box-plaits upon the outside. The remainder of the skirt is supplied by a single section, which is disposed in box-plaits, and has its ends joined under the folds of the plaits at the back. Its top is sewed flatly under the coat portion, and the pointed extensions on the back edges of the latter are lapped flatly over the back plaits and fastened under buttons. The bottom of the skirt is turned up for a hem before the plaits are laid, and the edges of the coat are finished with a cording velvet. At each side, just over the joining of the skirt, is stiched a wide pocket-welt thatvis finished with a velvet cord, and higher up on the left side is applied a breast pocket-welt. Openings may be made under these welts and pockets inserted, if the mamma [mother] decides they will not too soon become torn at the corners. The sleeve is prettily ornamented with a little pointed lap, which is allowed on the under part at the outside seam and lapped upon the upper side, a button being fastened at each end and at the center and the edges finished with a poping. A rolling collar, with a seam at the back and rounding ends, complete the neck. Its edges are also piped. Buttons close the front as far as the curved edges, and a row is fashionably disposed on the overlapping side.
Plain corduroy, velvet, Scotch plaids, cashmere, camel's-hair, flannel, and indeed, any material in vogue for boys' and girls' wear, make up very prettily by this model. But little trimming is required, no matter what material is chosen, through braids, stitchings, pipings and cordings are in good taste. Flannel of a seasonable quality is always a satisfactory material for such codtimes for little folks, and it is always fashionable. Bright pipings and stitching may enliven dark shades, and pretty buttons go far toward beautifying any fabric. One charming little costume of this shape, is made of dark wine-colored cashmmere, and velvet of the same shade is used for pipings and collar, cuff and pocket facings. Another very pretty costume is of a mixed woolen suiting, finished with silk braid. See Child's figure 2 on this page for another handsome llustration of this model.
We have pattern No. 7186 in five sizes for children from two to six years of age. If material twenty-two inches swide be selected for thev garment, three yards and a-halfwill be required in its construction for a child of five years. If goods forty-eight inches wide be chosen, one yard and three-fourths will suffice for the purpose. Prove of pattern, 10d. or 20 cents."
The writer suggests a wide range of material that can be used for this outfit. The references to material or interesting. I'm not sure what Oxford corduroy is. Also note that this was a checked corduroy. Modern corduroy is always a solid matrial, not a pattern like a check.
Notice that on the description here and in other similar descriptions used the term "costume" and "skirt" and not "kilt" or "kilt suit". Note that Scotch plaids are one of the materiaks to be used.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main "Delineator" chronology page]
[Return to the Main "Delineator" page]
[Return to the Main U.S. fashion magazine country page]
[Return tp the Main fashion publishing page]
[Return tp the Main U.S. catalog page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
