Figure 1.--This portrait is undated. We believe it was taken in the late 1930s. The portrait was taken in Brookline, Massachusettes. Put the cursor on the image for a close up.

Two different types of blouses were commonly worn with Eton suits by younger American boys, blouses with Eton or Peter Pan collars. The early Eton suits were generally worn with relatively large collars in the style of the Eton collars, worn in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They were as far as we can determine actual detachable Eton collars, but generally blouses with attached collars. Eventually the Eton collars became less severe and smaller, but still retained the basic Eton styling with a point rather than the rounded Peter Pan style. However, a few American boys were still wearing Eton-looking collars as late as the late 1930s and early 1940s. The smaller collars were part of the blouse and not detacable. By the 1960s boys were wearing a very small collar, but generally with a point showing the Eton collar origins. By the 1960s more boys began wearing Peter Pan collars with their Eton suits, but the Eton styling has remained popular as well. Soon more comfortable-looking Peter Pan collars replaced the stiff Eton collars formerly worn by British boys. Gradually the Peter Pan collars became the most popular for very young boys. Older boys generally wore a collar with a small point.

Eton Collars

The early Eton suits were generally worn with relatively large collars in the style of the Eton collars, worn in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They appear to have been actual detachable Eton collars. We believe these collars were worn through the 1930s. Eventually the Eton collars became less severe and smaller, but still retained the basic Eton styling with a point rather than the rounded Peter Pan style. These small collars seem to have been collars that were actual parts of the blouse rather than detachable. This is usually not decernavle in a photograph, but here the size is a good indicator. They are also not stiff and do not stand up. A few American boys were still wearing Eton-looking collars as late as the late 1930s and early 1940s. By the 1960s boys were wearing a eather small small collar, but generally with a point showing the Eton collar origins. By the 1960s more boys began wearing Peter Pan collars with their Eton suits, but the Eton styling has remained popular as well. One factor affecting these blouses was that these Eton suits were gradually worn by younger boys.

Peter Pan Collars

Soon more comfortable-looking Peter Pan collars befan replacing the the stiff Eton collars formerly worn by British boys. Unlike the Eton collars, the Peter Pan collars were not detachable collars. The earliest Peter Pan collars worn with these Eton suits tended to be large, comprable to the large Eton collars worn with then. Gradually the Peter Pan collars became the most popular for very young boys and he size of the collar began to shrink. They also like the Eton collars became smaller. Here age seems to have been a factor. Older boys generally wore a collar with a small point, more like an Eton collar.

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Created: 2:14 AM 9/29/2007
Last updated: 7:07 AM 12/18/2014