Figure 1.--This is another photograph of an English boy wearing what to many would look like an Eton suit. Note that while the boy has an Eton collar, he wears a full sized jacket and not a short an Eton suit. Our British Eton suit expert, reports "The seated boy is NOT wearing an Eton suit of any description, since the Eton suit always featured the bum-freezer jacket." Although it is not a full-length photograph, you can just make out that he wears knickers with his suit. The photograph is undated, but probably taken in the 1900s.

Several different garments are assocoated with the Eton suit. A formal Eton suit might vary somewhat but had many common features. Hats were much more common in the 19th century and early 20thth century than would be the case today. An English boy would have worn some kind of hat when going out. With a formal Eton suit, a wealthy English boy would have worn a top hat. This was actually part of the uniform at Eton and Harrow, The jacket for an Eton suit was modeled on the short black jacket worn by Eton schoolboys. The jacket ended just at the waist, much shorter than the jackets worn with oyher suit styles. Some Eton suits may have had grey jackets rather than the black jackets worn at Eton school. But by far the dominate style was black jackets. Although not part of the suit itself. The wide, stiff, detachable Eton collar was a key feature associated with the Eton suit. This was a part of the uniform at Eton and many other English schools. The Eton collar was worn, however, with many different types of suits. It was such a popular collar style for such a long period that it was worn with a wide range of suits. Most boys black pants with Eton suits. Eton schoolboys wore stripped pants. Boys at other schools or as a regular suit wore solid colored pants. Most of the Eton suits I have seen had black trousers to match the black jacket, but I beleve that grey pants were also worn with black jackets. Eton suits were primarily worn with long pants a worn at Etomn school. HBC has not Eton suits with knee pants, but less commonly knickers. [HBC note: The British refer to kneepants and later short pants as knickers, so some care needs to be given in assessing contemporary sources.] HMC is not yet sure how the different styles of pants were. This assessment is further complicated by changing fashions over time. HBC is making a preliminary assessment, but invites reader comments.

Headwear

Hats were much more common in the 19th century and early 20thth century than would be the case today. An English boy would have worn some kind of hat when going out. With a formal Eton suit, a wealthy English boy would have worn a top hat. This was actually part of the uniform at Eton and Harrow, Of course less affluent boys simply wearing an Eton collar with a Norfolk or some other suit style would have worn a much less formal cap.

Jacket

The jacket for an Eton suit was modeled on the short black jacket worn by Eton schoolboys. The jacket ended just at the waist, much shorter than the jackets worn with oyher suit styles. Some Eton suits may have had grey jackets rather than the black jackets worn at Eton school. But by far the dominate style was black jackets. A true Eton suit has a short jacket. Many boys wore Eton collars with other jackets, but a true Eton suit has the destinctive short jacket. This means basically a jacket that was made to about waist level. We note some jackets that seem to be cut a little longer. Another feature is the lapels. We note photographs that show lapels on Eton and Harrrow school jackets. We not other photographs without lapels. We think both may be comsidered Eton jackets. Not very many other jackets were made without lapels with the exception of 19th century cut-away jackets.

Collar

Although not part of the suit itself. The wide, stiff, detachable Eton collar was a key feature associated with the Eton suit. This was a part of the uniform at Eton and many other English schools. The Eton collar was worn, however, with many different types of suits. It was such a popular collar style for such a long period that it was worn with a wide range of suits. Give the visual impact of the Eton collar, one is tempted to refer to any suit worn with an Eton collar as an Eton suit, but a true Eton suit has the destinctive short jacket.

Vest

Eton suits were commonly worn with vests known as waistcoats in Britain. They were almost always black like the jacket and pants. The boy's vest here is a good example (figure 1). There was one major exception. The senior boys at public (elite private boarding) schools were allow to wear yecthing, colorful vests.

Trousers

Most English boys had black Eton suits, both the jacket and the pants ortrousers as the British prefer. Eton schoolboys wore stripped pants, but that was an exception. We mostly see all black suits in the photographic record. Boys at other schools or as a regular suit wore solid colored pants. Most of the Eton suits we have seen had black trousers to match the black jacket, but we beleve that grey pants were also worn with black jackets. Eton suits were primarily worn with long pants a worn at Etomn school. HBC has not Eton suits with knee pants, but less commonly knickers. [HBC note: The British refer to knee pants and later short pants as knickers, so some care needs to be given in assessing contemporary sources.] The basic difference in the pants with eton collars is the length. We see long pants, knee oants, knickers, and short pants. HBC is not yet sure how the different styles of pants varied beyond length. This assessment is further complicated by changing fashions over time. HBC is making a preliminary assessment, but invites reader comments.

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Created: 11:43 PM 8/12/2008
Last updated: 5:32 PM 11/30/2023