Figure 1.--This uidentified Americab boy wears a large Eton collar with a floppy bow. He looks to be bout 7 years old. Note how large the collar is, almost covering his shoulders hich is the only reason we can see the pointed tips of the collar. . It does not, however, seem to lie down flt on the shouders. It is clerly a detachable collar. The portrait is undatd, but looks like the 1890s to us. This boy does not have a center hair part, but notice how far up the side his part is. The studio was M. Melander & Bro. in Chicago.

We see different types of Eton collars in America. And they varied over time. The classic Eton collar in America was precisely the same style of collar worn by English boys. The classic Eton collar was a detachable collar that was prominant, large, stiff mostly white collar. The sizes varied somewhat. Many were about 2 inches wide. While large by our modern standards, they were relatively small compared to the lace and ruffled collars many boys wore in the 1880s through the 1900s. These classic Eton collar certainly looked uncomfortable. We see American boys also boys wearing Eton collars thart differed from the classic English Eton collar. We see some that were much smaller and not detachble (1860s). And others that were not nearly as stiff and often much larger than the classic English Etons. Many look to be detachble, but this is not alwts clear from just a studio portrait. The collars began to increase in size (1870s nd then reached extremley large sizes, although not as large as some of the enormous ruffled collars. They were cerainly larger than the classic English Etons. Some seem much more pliant than the classic English Etons. They seem to lay down on the suit jacket or blouse rather than rise up at the neck. There are countless examples of both the classic stiff English Etons as well as the larger, more pliant American Etons. A good example of these more pliant collars are two Massachusetts brothers. We see these pliant collars done as both Eton collars as well as rounded tip Peter Pan collars, although this was not a term used at the time. As the detachabke collars began to decline in popularity, we see some blouses done with attached Eton collars, smller and not so stiff. They were worn with the juvenile Eton lapelless suits appearing after Workd War I (1920s). They became the standard suit for younger boys for several decades.

Classic Eton Collar

Eton-looking Collars

We see American boys also boys wearing Eton collars that differed from the classic English Eton collar. We see some that were much smaller and not detachble (1860s). And others that were not nearly as stiff and often much larger than the classic English Etons. Many look to be detachble, but this is not alwts clear from just a studio portrait. The collars began to increase in size (1870s and then reached extremley large sizes, although not as lrge as some of the enormous ruffled collars. They were cerainly larger than the classic English Etons. Some seem much more pliant than the classic English Etons. They seem to lay down on the suit jacket or blouse rather than rise up at the neck. There are countless examples of both the classic stiff English Etons as well as the lefer, more pliant American Etons. A good example of these more pliant collars is James Gilman with a blouse kilt suit about 1890. We also note two Massachusetts brothers. We see these pliant collars done as both Eton collars as well as rounded tip Peter Pan collars, although this was not a term used at the time. This is often difficult to tell because they are partially covered by floppy bows.

Attached Collars

As the detachable collars began to decline in popularity, we see some blouses done with attached Eton collars, smaller and not so stiff. ome were done with rounded Peter Pan collars rathere than the pointed Eton collars. They were commonly worn with the juvenile Eton lapelless suits appearing after World War I (1920s). They became the standard suit for younger boys for several decades.

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Created: 4:32 AM 8/12/2015
Last updated: 12:16 PM 10/20/2018