Figure 1.--The Dutch fashion magazine "Libelle" showed these matching brother-sister sailor suits in 1950. I'm not sure what sizes were involved. Notice the button-on styling. Also notice the use of traditiinal styling for these brother-sister outfits.

Boys began wearing sailor suits in the mid-19th century. At first it was an exclusively boys' outfit. Subsequently some sailor styling was employed in girls' clothing. We see girls wearing sailor-influencd outfits by the 1870s. The early outfits, however, did not match the boys outfits which were more based on actual uniforms. We have not seen, however, large number of girls wearing outfits looking ike traditional sailor suits. Yjis is when we begin to see boys and giels wearing identically styled suits. wenote many outfits appearing that were done in sailor styles,but with fashionable stylistic changes so they no longer corresponded to actial unifotms. This changed after the turn of the 20th century when more and more girls began wearing middy blouses with skirts. There were also sailor dresses. The middy blouse with bloomers was widely used as a girl's gym uniform. These outfits were style like traditional sailor suits. As a result, there was increasing possibiities of coordinating brother-sister outfits. There were probably more girls wearing middy blouses in the 1920s than boys, at least in America. There were sustantial variations among countries. We have noted coordinated brother-sister sailor outfits as late as the 1950s, but rarely see them since the 1960s except infants.

Chronology

Boys began wearing sailor suits in the mid-19th century. At first it was an exclusively boys' outfit. Subsequently some sailor styling was employed in girls' clothing. We see girls wearing sailor-influencd outfits by the 1870s. The early outfits, however, did not match the boys outfits which were more based on actual uniforms. We have not seen, however, large number of girls wearing outfits looking like traditional sailor suits. This is when we begin to see boys and giels wearing identically styled suits. This changed after the turn of the 20th century when more and more girls began wearing middy blouses with skirts. There were also sailor dresses. The middy blouse with bloomers was widely used as a girl's gym uniform. These outfits were style like traditional sailor suits. As a result, there was increasing possibiities of coordinating brother-sister outfits. There were probably more girls wearing middy blouses in the 1920s than boys, at least in America. We have noted coordinated brother-sister sailor outfits as late as the 1950s, but rarely see them since the 1960s except infants.

Styling

we note many outfits appearing that were done in sailor styles, but with fashionable stylistic changes so they no longer corresponded to actial unifotms. The portraits and phitographs that we have noted with brothers and sisters wearing identically styled sailor suits were traditionnally sailor suits--the ones done like actual uniforms. Many sailor outfits, just used the sailor style as a basic inspiration. Variations were done in virtually countless ways. These outfits might vay the basic "V" front and adds all sorts of ruffles, frills, and flounces. Also the basic three-stripe trim might be varoed. These fancy variations were much less used to outfit brothers and sisters, although brothers and brothers and sisters and sisters is a different matter.

Countries

There were subtantial variations among countries. This area we have not yet explored.

Age Trends

We are not sure yet just how the fashion of dressing brothers and sisters identically was affect by age. This was affected by the type of outfit such as sailor suits that was seen as appropriate for certain age groups. Generally speaking it was more common to dress younger children identically than older children and this seems especially true for brothers and sisters. This also varoed over time and a factor here was the age convention for sailor suits at any given time.

Created: April 8, 2002
Last updated: 5:58 AM 2/21/2005