Figure 1.-- This unidentified American boy wears a tweed double-breasted jacket suit. The portrait is undated but looks like the 1930s to us.

Double-breasted suits were popular in the ealy 20th century. We see quite a number of boys wearing double-breasted suits in the early-20th century. The photographic record shows that the style was very widespread. We see many American boys wearing them. Many boys had double-breasted suits for formal occassions. A good example is is John Czechatowski, a Polish-American boy in 1928 doing his First Communion. Even though double breasted suits have never been the most popular style for boys, they were widely worn in the 1920s and 30s. I know of no academicstudy, but based on the study of available images, I'd say that about 1out if every three or four boys' suits in America were double breasted. I think the ratio was much lower in Britain and Europe, but the style was worn in France. Suits for French boys sometimes came with both short pants and knickers for boys through 16 years of age. We see double-breasted suits commonly in First Communion portraits like this. Double-breasted jackets were popular through the 1940s. After World War II, boys tended to wear mostly single breasted suits, although suits became less common for boyswear. Double breasted blazers declined in popularity in America and France during the 1940s and 50s. They never were very popular in England or Germany. Designers occasionally since the 1960s bring out a line of double-breasted suits for boys. Generally, however, they do not sell as well as single breasted blazers. Begining about the 1970s there was some revival of double breated suits. Some fashion houses pushed them as stylish. American boys have generally preferred the single breasted style, but there continue to be a minority of fashion conscious boys or more likely their mothers who chose the double breasted style. Styles and preceptions of styles change over time. I always thought of double breasted suits as giving an old fashioned, stolid look. Since the 1980s I think the double breasted suit has been perceived as a cutting edge stylistic look. Stylists now say that doubke breated suits, at least for boys gives a slimming look. The British conservative leader William Hague has been ordered by his spin doctors to change from doublebreasted to single breasted suits. As you may know he is still in his thirties and the idea is to make him look fatter and more substantial and therefore more able to command respect. Apparently double-breasted jackets have a slimming effect, according to the style gurus.

The 1900s

Double-breasted jacket suits continued to be popular in the early-20th century. The 1900s decade may have been the peak of their popularity. The photographic record shows countless examoles. There were no social-class factor or regional differennces involved, it was just the accepted fashion of the day. Double-breasted suits were fairly standard at the turn-of-the 20th century (1900s). We see quite a number of boys and adult men wearing them, more than single-breased suits. They were commonly worn by school-age boys, usually with knee pants. The photographic record shows that the style was very widespread. We see many American boys of all ages wearing them, usually with knee pants including many teenagers and not just younger tennagers. Many boys had double-breasted suits for formal occassions. Many younger boys wore them with Fauntleroy blouses. A good example is Raymond J.D. Webb about 1900. The Fauntleriy suit was was going out of style, but the fauntleroy bloyse persisted a little longer and thus meant that some boys wore the fancy blouses with double-breasted jackets. Mail order catalogs also show how double-breasted styling predominated in the decade. The mail order catalogs of the day show many more offerings than are common today, but mostly the various skews were differet colors and fabrics, not alternative jacket styles. Brtish school uniforms impacted fashions. Private schools had uniforms which almost always were single breasted blazers or suit jackets. This had an impact on general boys wear.

The 1910s

Double-breasted styling continued to be populoar in the 1910s. Many American boys had double-breasted suits in the 1910s, but the knee oants were geneally replaced with knickers. In Europe we see boys beginning to wear short pants suits. Knicker suits were also worn, but mostlyn by older boys. Double-breasted suits were not as dominant as they were in the 1900s. e see many boys alao wearing Norfolk-styled suit jackets.

The 1920s

We continue to see double=-breasted suits in the 1920s. A good example is is John Czechatowski, a Polish-American boy in 1928 doing his First Communion. Even though double breasted suits have never been the most popular style for boys, they were widely worn in the 1920s and 30s. I know of no academicstudy, but based on the study of available images, I'd say that about 1out if every three or four boys' suits in America were double breasted. I think the ratio was much lower in Britain and Europe, but the style was worn in France. Suits for French boys sometimes came with both short pants and knickers for boys through about 16 years of age. A good example is 16-year old Dutch boy Fans Leferink in 1927. We see double-breasted suits commonly in First Communion portraits like this.

the 1930s

The 1940s

Double-breasted jackets were worn in the 1940s, especially the early-40s. World War II, however, imoacted fasg=gion. Shorages of consumer good such bas clothing caused manufacturs in many cases affted by rationing to turn tostyles that required less favric. Both knickers and double-breasted styking were impacted. .

The 1950s

After World War II, boys tended to wear mostly single breasted suits, although suits became less common for boyswear. Double breasted blazers declined in popularity in America and France during the 1940s and 50s. They never were very popular in England or Germany.

The 1960s

Designers occasionally since the 1960s bring out a line of double breasted suits for boys. Generally, however, they do not sell as well as single breasted blazers.

The 1970s

Begining about the 1970s there was some revival of double breated suits. Some fashion houses pushed them as stylish. American boys have generally preferred the single breasted style, but there continue to be a minority of fashion conscious boys or more likely their mothers who chose the double-breasted style. Styles and preceptions of styles change over time. I always thought of double breasted suits as giving an old fashioned look.

The 1980s

Since the 1980s I think the double breasted suit has been perceived as a cutting edge stylistic look. Stylists now say that doubke breated suits, at least for boys gives a slimming look. The British conservative leader William Hague has been ordered by his spin doctors to change from doublebreasted to single breasted suits. As you may know he is still in his thirties and the idea is to make him look fatter and more substantial and therefore more able to command respect. Apparently double-breasted jackets have a slimming effect,according to the style gurus.