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We notice quite a few younger English boys wearing kilts in the second half of the 19th century and very early-20th century. It seems to have been a popular party or dress up outfit for boys from well-to-do families beginning in the 1860s. Most of the English kilt images we have have found are of pre-school age boys and younger primary-age boys up to about 8-years of age or so. This vasried somewhat over time. There seem to be a style primarily for pre-school and early primary school age group. These images of younger boys wearing kilt outfits seem to be a substantial portion of our English kilt archive. This suggests to us that it was primarily a style that mothers were enamored of and the boys were no so sold on. Famed Winnie the Poo illustrator, E. H. Shepard, remembers the Fauntleroy lace collar his mother outfitted him in for parties in the 1880s. It caused him some real trouble. One incident occured at a party where a boy wearing a kilt outfit took issue with his lace collar. His opinion was that a boy wearing a kilt didn't have much of a reason to criticize his lace collar and a tussle ensued for which was blamed on him-- unjustly from his point of view. A girl he was attrached to was involved further complicating the whole sad affair. He had to go home in disgrace. We do see some older English boys wearing kilts, but no nearly so many. We are unsure about the conventions involved for the older boys. Most of the examples are portaits, perhaps mpre of a fancy dress outfit. The degree of Highland regalia varied widely.
We notice quite a few younger English boys wearing kilts in the second half of the 19th century and very early-20th century. It seems to have been a popular party or dress up outfit for boys from well-to-do families beginning in the 1860s. Most of the English kilt images we have have found are of pre-school age boys and younger primary-age boys beginning school at aabnout # years of age. Some 2 years olds may hve worn them, but we have not found many exmples until about 3 years of age. The younger Caversham boy here about 1895 is a good example (figure 1). He looks to be anout 3 years old.
There seem to be more of the pre-school and eraly primary age group than the older proimary boys. These images of younger boys wearing kilt outfits seem to be a substantial portion of our English kilt archive, both the pre-school and early-primary school age boys. The older Caversham boy here about 1895 is a good example (figure 1). He looks to be anout 5-6 years old.
English children begn sdchool ar about b6 years of age. One inrteresting topic is what tghe children thought of their clothes. Here they had less to say than modern children Outfits were selected by mother without a lot of condidsrtuoin as to what the cvhildren thought. Even so, this does not mean that they did niot have their own thoughts. We believe that these kilt suits were primarily a style that mothers were enamored of and the boys were not so sold on. Famed Winnie the Poo illustrator, E. H. Shepard, remembers the Fauntleroy lace collar his mother outfitted him in for parties in the 1880s. It caused him some real trouble. One incident occured at a party where a boy wearing a kilt outfit took issue with his lace collar. His opinion was that a boy wearing a kilt didn't have much of a reason to criticize his lace collar and a tussle ensued for which was blamed on him -- unjustly from hid point of view. A girl he was attrached to was involved further complicating the whole sad affair. He had to go home in disgrace.
We continue to see English boys at age 7 years wearing kilt outfits. Aftr zg 7 ear we begin to see fewer boys wearing kilt suits. This is because age 7 is the last year that boys from affluent families stayed at home. Beginning at about 8 years of age, Englisdh boys began boarding scvhool. And English boys did not wear kilt suits at boarding schools. Some may have begun boarding school wearing kilts, but not very many. And they would not have likely continud weearing kilt suits very long at schools when th other boysdwere wearing pants. It should not be ythought thzt there was any kind of age grading here. We note family portraits in which the older boy is wearing kilt suits and a youngr boy ewaring knee pants suits. WEe are not ntirely ure how to interpret this.
We continue to see quite a few English boys weearing kilt suit outfit, most commonly up to about 8-years of age or so. A factor here was social class. The boys wearing kilt outfits were primarily from the affluent classes. And most of thse nboys attended private schools. For the younger boys this meant preparatory schools, preparing the boys for entrance into the elite public (fee paying boarding) schools. Schools varied as to entrance age, especially in the 19th century, but many of the boys began in the prep schools by 8 years of age. These were also noarding schools and we see virtually mno boys at these schools wearing kilt suits. At first these schools my not hve hzad unifims, but they did have dress codes. And as the century progressed, more and more of these shools began adopting uniforms. The public schools had long trafditins of uniforms. As a result. many 8 year olds weere not at hoime with mothr selcting thrir clothes. And while this was a small part of the school age population, it was a substnial part of the children from affluent families that were the most likely to wear kilt suits.
We do see some older English boys wearing kilts, but no nearly so many. We are unsure about the conventions involved for the older boys. Most of the examples are portaits, perhaps mpre of a fancy dress outfit. The degree of Highland regalia varied widely. By this age, we no longer see kilt suits, but we do note a few boys of all ages wearing Highland kilt outfits,
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