Figure 1.--Here we see a 4-year Sammuel Stacy Whidden boy wearing a kilt suit. We might have gussed he was 3 uears old, but "Sammie 4 years old" is written on the back. We suspect he just turned 4 years. The skirt has no kilt features except box pleats. He was known as Sammie. He wears a vest ed kilt suit done in a flat colred material, although we do not know the actual color. Notice the large Eton collar and medium sized floppy bow. The Eton collar of course was a detachable collar, but the wrist cuffs suggest he was wearing a white shirt waist. We see plain wrist cuffs. The mount style suggests the portrait was taken in the 1890s. As Sammie was born in 1889, we believe the portrai ws taken in 1893. The studio looks to be E.O Nickerson in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Whidden family has a long association with Portsmouth. Sammie was born in Portsmouth. Sometime before 1650, Samuel, James and John Whidden came from Portsmouth England to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There is some evidence that their father, Ichabod (1621-62) also came to Portsmouth. Sammie parents seem to have been the son of Horace D. Whidden (1852) and Mary Hare. They married in 1886. Horace died in 1894 at only 42 years of age. This is about the time that this portrait was taken, perhaps a little later. Click on the image for more information on Sammie.

The shirt-like garments worn with kilt suits were blouses. This was basically a shirt without shirt tails. The styling varied over time, although we normally do not get to see much of the blouses in the available studio portraits. Kilt suits often involved vests, meaning for the most part virtually all of the blouse was covered up. When kilt suits first appeared boys tended to wear small collars. By the time the kilt suit began to go out of style, very large collars were still fashionable. In many instances all we see is the collar. Many kilts suits were worn with vests covering up the shirt or blouse so all we see is the collar or perhaps wrist cuffs. With the onset of the Faintleroy Craze (1885), we begin to see boys wearing lace and ruffled trimed blouses. This was affected some what by vests. Blouses were necessary with the bodice kilts. The kilts worn with vests often had prominent collars, but usually less fancy than those worn with blouses. Eton collars were popular. Here we see an example, we think from 1893 (figure 1). The boy on the previous page is wearing a wide white collar, but it is not possible to make out much detail. The fancy collars were not only worn with kilt suits, but boys often continued wearing them after being breeched and a knee pants suit purchased. Of course Fauntleroy suits were worn with large lace collars, but they were worn with other less fancy suits as well.

Blouses

The shirt-like garments worn with kilt suits were blouses. This was basically a shirt without shirt tails, but of course there is no way od srerminjing this from the avaiable portrauts. The styling varied over time, although we normally do not get to see much of the blouses in the available studio portraits. For the most part this means changes in the collar style. Kilt suits often involved vests, meaning for the most part virtually all of the blouse was covered up. As far as we can tell , blouses were the primrry shirt-like garment. Some boys may have worn shirt waisrs. This is difficult to tell from the photogrphic record.

Elements

When kilt suits first appeared boys tended to wear small collars. By the time the kilt suit began to go out of style, very large collars were still fashionable. In many instances all we see is the collar. Many kilts suits were worn with vests covering up the shirt or blouse so all we see is the collar or perhaps wrist cuffs which we see here (figure 1). With the onset of the Faintleroy Craze (1885), we begin to see boys wearing lace and ruffled trimed blouses. This was affected some what by vests. Blouses were necessary with the bodice kilts. The kilts worn with vests often had prominent collars, but usually less fancy than those worn with blouses. Eton collars were popular. Here we see an example, we think from 1893 (figure 1). The boy on the previous page is wearing a wide white collar, but it is not possible to make out much detail. The fancy collars were not only worn with kilt suits, but boys often continued wearing them after being breeched and a knee pants suit purchased. Of course Fauntleroy suits were worn with large lace collars, but they were worn with other less fancy suits as well. We rarely get to see the front placket and never the waist hem if the blouse. Only id the kilt suit was worn without a jacket t=do we see the blouse. Of course this does not tell us necesarially what was worn with kilt suits.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
[Return to the Main kilt suit accompanyin clothing items]
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[Scottish kilts] [Scottish boys clothing] [Scottish school uniform] [Highland dance]
[Irish kilts] [Irish boys clothing] [Irish step dancing]
[Greek kilts]

Navigate the Related HBC pages:
[Eton collar] [Rounded-crown hat] [Floppy bows] [Cut-away jackets] [Kilt suits] [Velvet] [Long stockings] [Shoes]

Created: 4:45 AM 3/26/2015
Last updated: 9:24 PM 6/24/2024