Figure 1.--Here we see two boys whose fathers are policemen, perhaps New Jersey state police. Both boys where the classice overcoats for younger children. This photograph was taken in 1940.

We do not yet know a great deal about the chronology of boys' overcoats, but we have begun to collect some basic information. Double breasted styles seem particularly popular. The overcoat was a style for upper-class, affluennt childrem. Working-class childrenn ore overcoats in the both the 19th anbd 20th centurues, although they became less common after World War II.

19th Century

What did well-dressed young boys wear outside in winter and cooler fall and spring during Victorian times? Relatively few old-time photos are available sowing cool weather outdoor clothes. This is primarily the photographs were mostly taken in studios and mothers wanted the boy to be photographed in his fancy suit rather thab a heavy overcoat. A HBC reader asks if boys who wore elegant Fauntleroy suits wear correspondingly stylish clothes outdoors in winter? Would they have worn velvet coats with flowing capes and tight-fitting leggings. HBC has not yet had the opportunity to address this topic, but plans to do so in the future.

20th Century

Children from affluent families wore overcoats in the early-20th century. We notice double breasted overcoats. The collars often had velvet added. A goof example is the Bennett children in the 1910s. We note younger boys wearing a kind of classic coat beginnining in the 1920s. I'm not sure what this coat was called, but we note both boys and girls wearing basically the same style. These coats were worn through the 1970s. Colors varied. We have noted bioys wearing blue and camel hair. Girls sometimes wore pink. Many had velvet as part of the lapels. Some of these coats had collars and others lapels.

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Created: 10:11 PM 7/27/2005
Last updated: 1:44 AM 3/4/2010