Figure 1.--These two little boys wear matching kilt suits. All we know about the portrait is that it was taken on Market Street in San Francisco. It is undated, but probably taken in the 1870s. Notice the jackets do not connect. Also the kilt skirts have a kind of flap front. Decorative items include dark embroidery and buttons.

A new fashion based on the kilt did prove enormously popular with American mothers. The fashion of a one piece skirted suit, rather than trousers, commonly made with a single material appeared sometime around mid-century, probably in the 1860 as by the 1870s the fashion was well established. I'm not sure who first fashioned them. Nor do I know if kilts suits were an American or British innovation. I would be very interested in any insights visitors to this web site night have. All I really know is that by the 1870s they were one of the most popular fashion for small boys in America. A kilt suit was a natural transition for boys who had grown to old for dresses. It was still a skirted garment which for some unfathomable reason, appears to have appealed to contemporary mothers. The kilt suit while not popular with the boys outfitted in them, was more popular than the dresses they wore as little boys. The kilt suits lacked many of the frills and girlish touches that boys objected to in dresses. Kilt suits had some of the outward appearances of a Scottish kilt, but in many ways were quite different. Many kitsuits had extensive embroidered designs and piping. This was primarily on the jacket, but often the jacket designs were repeated on the skirt kilt. I believe these embroidered styles were most common in the 1860s and 70s and began to go out of style in the 80s. These were not the only garments that had emroidery and piping which was popular on many other garments as well during this period. Some elements of the kilts were decorative rather than design features.

Design

A kilt suit was a natural transition for boys who had grown to old for dresses. It was still a skirted garment which for some unfathomable reason, appears to have appealed to contemporary mothers. The kilt suit while not popular with the boys outfitted in them, was more popular than the dresses they wore as little boys. The kilt suits lacked many of the frills and girlish touches that boys objected to in dresses. Kilt suits had some of the outward appearances of a Scottish kilt, but in many ways were quite different. Commonly the jacket and kilt skirt were made of the same mterial, but not always. There were many different styles of jackets. These were not specifically designed for kilts, but rasther followed the basic designs for jackets at the time. The kil skirts were designed if not to be precisely kilts to have features destinguishing them from basic skirts.

Decorative Elements

Many kitsuits had extensive embroidered designs and piping. This was primarily on the jacket, but often the jacket designs were repeated on the skirt kilt. I believe these embroidered styles were most common in the 1860s and 70s and began to go out of style in the 80s. These were not the only garments that had emroidery and piping which was popular on many other garments as well during this period. Buttons were also an important decorative element. Some elements of the kilts were decorative rather than design features.

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Created: 12:51 AM 4/1/2007
Last updated: 12:51 AM 4/1/2007