Figure 1.--We wonder what Leopold and Charles wore for play clothes or every day outfits. We had thought that their sation suits were for formal events. Here we see the boys in one of the more casual portraits. They seem to be playing in satin kneepants suits and long stockings--suggesting that these were playsuits. The boys look to be about 9 and 11, meaning this photograph was taken about 1912. The image is not clear, but they appear to be riding a stuffed elephant--no doubt based on a Belgain Congo wildlife. The text reads, " LL.AA.RR Mgr le Duc de Brabant et Mgr le Comte de Flandre ". That translates as, "Theirs Royal Highness, the Duke of Brabant and the Count of Flandre."

The boys were often outfitted in Fautleroy suits and lacey blouses with frilly collars for dress occasions. Their mother apparently liked to dress the boys in matching or identical outfits. We note both lace and extensive ruffles used in their garments. Elizabeth apparently believed in dressing her children very fashionably. We have no derailed information, but we assume that it was that Queen that selected the fancy outfits for the boys. Presumably she was influenced in her fashion tastes by her chilhood in the Bavarian court. One intersting observation is the very significant difference between the very plain styles that Albert and his brothers and sisters wore as a boy and the rather fancy outfits that his children wore. Most of the available photograph's of King Albert's and Queen Elizabeth's childre are formal portraits. We have very few images as to how the children were normally dressed in the nursery or around the palace. The boys when they were young were outfitted in dresses, as was still the fashion in the years before World War I. HBRC only has a few images of the boys in dresses. HBRC has no information on the breeching of the princes. Based on available photographs it looks like the boys were breeched about age 4 or 5 years. Elizabeth appears to have liked velvet Fauntleroy suits with ruffled collars. The boys appear to have worn them at least through about 10 years of age.

Stylish Outfits

The boys were often outfitted in Fautleroy suits and lacey blouses with frilly collars for dress occasions. Their mother apparently liked to dress the boys in matching or identical outfits. We note both lace and extensive ruffles used in their garments. We are not sure what the flation influence was here. The styles look French. We think that perhaps the French stuyles may have been influential in Bavaria. Queen Elizabeth was a Bavarian princess. Interestingly although the children's clothes seem rather fancy, many are open-collar rather comfortable looking outfits.

Queen's Role

Elizabeth apparently believed in dressing her children very fashionably. We have no derailed information, but we assume that it was that Queen that selected the fancy outfits for the boys. Presumably she was influenced in her fashion tastes by her chilhood in the Bavarian court. We note, for example, that the Bavarian princes Luirpold and Albrecht were dressed in styles quite similar to Leopold and Charles.

Changing Styles

One intersting observation is the very significant difference between the very plain styles that Albert and his brothers and sisters wore as a boy and the rather fancy outfits that his children wore. It should be noted that many boys in the 1880s wore very fancy clothes--it was in fact the era in which the Fauntleroy craze was in vogue. Even so, the Belgian rouals were dressed very plainly. We suspect that the difference was Queen Elizabeth and her fashion sence.

Conventions

Most of the available photograph's of King Albert's and Queen Elizabeth's childre are formal portraits. We do not note the kind of informal snapshots that would give us a view of the children when they were not done up for a formal portrait. We have very few images as to how the children were normally dressed in the nursery are around the palace. We do not know, for example, if the boys wore smocks or other play clothes. I supose it is popular that the children wore rather formal clothes, even for play, but we suspect that other outfits were involved. We think that sailor suits may have been an outfit that was worn both as ordinary every day clothes and for dresseing up.

Garments

The boys when they were young were outfitted in dresses, as was still the fashion in the years before World War I. HBRC only has a few images of the boys in dresses. HBRC has no information on the breeching of the princes. Based on available photographs it looks like the boys were breeched about age 4 or 5 years. Elizabeth appears to have liked velvet Fauntleroy suits with ruffled collars. The boys appear to have worn them at least through about 10 years of age. They could have worn them longer. While not quite Fauntleroy suits, the boys when they were younger wore light colored suits (I'm not sure about the color) trimmed in lace and ruffles. They appear to have been comfortable outfits with open collars. Photographs show the boys wearing frilly, open collar blouses to a fairly advanced age. All of theblouses while often elaborately eddged in lace ruffles are always open necked without large floppy bows. The lacey blouses worn by the princers appear to be summer wear. The boys wore them with matching kneepants, both with short white socks and with rather sheer white stockings that look like they are wearing no stockings at all. The boys also wore sailor suits. I'm not sure at just what age they began wearing sailior suits. One photograph shows both boys wearing sailor suits while Prince Charles was still in curls.

Identical Outfits

Leopold and Charles were often dressesd in identical or coordinated outfits. This was especially common with the sailor suits that they wore. They were not alwaus dressed identically. This was especilly true when Charles was younger because Leopold being 2 years older was bereached before Charles. Once Charles was also breached the boys appear both in identical outfits and with identical hair styles. We do not know how common this was and who decided from day to day whether to dress the boys identically. We are also not sure if tge type or formality of the event was a factor here. Also as the images we have are more formal portraits, we do not know just what the boys wore for every day and if these outfits wre identical. We suspect that they may have been. Their little sister Jose Maria always seemes to be dressed differently, without any attempt to coordinate the outfits.

Impact

One wonders what impact the fashions worn by the Belgian royals had on actual children's clothing in Belgium. We know that sailor suits were very popular, but we are unsure to what extent the royal family influenced this fashion. We also do not know how common some of the other outfits worn by the boys were in Belgium. One French reader believes that the elegantly dressed children and their model behavior, at least as far as we know, helped to create the "enfants modèles" concept and fancy fashions in both Belgium and France. In France itself there was no royal family to emmulate.

Created: May 15, 2002
Last updated: 7:52 PM 4/29/2009