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After age 5 years, we see substantially fewer boys wearing Fauntleroy suits. This of course was when boys began school. But we do see some, mostly boys about 6-10 years old. Images of boys 11 years old and older wearing Fauntleroy suits are quite rare, but not unknown. We know this to be the case because we have an extensive archive of not only studio portraits, but also school photography during the Fauntleroy era (1880s, 1890s, and 1900s). School photography at the time was all group portraits, and not the individual shots of modern school photography. The school photography provide a good look at what the average American boy was wearing at the time. We do note some boys of 11-12 years of age wearing Fauntleroy suits, but they are not very common even during the peak of the Fauntleroy craze. We suspect that even in the late-19th century, boys at about age 11 would have complained at that. Some especially fashion conscious mothers may have insisted. Or boys may have worn Fauntleroy suits for especially formal occasions, but on the whole at age 11 it was not common. What we mostly see is boys wearing more mature lapel suits, but with Fauntleroy touches such as an large ruffled collars and even even wrist cuffs along with floppy bows. These items were usualy toned down versions of what the younger boys wore. The Ohio boy here is a good example although he does not have the Fauntleroy cuffs (figure 1). Fancy cuffs were not as common as the large collars. Outfits like this were fairly common for America boys at age 11 in the 1880s and 90s, but less so by the end of the 1900s. These outfits had the advantage that mother could just remove the fancy collar and the boy could wear the suit for another year or two. And they could be worn for special occasions. The suits involved were not fancy velvet suits, but were usually dark suits without loud patterns. While this was what we usually see. There were some boys that got the full Fauntleroy treatment even at age 11 years, although the collars and floppy bows were usually not quite as large as what the younger boys wore.
After age 5 years, we see substantially fewer boys wearing Fauntleroy suits. This of course was when boys began school. But we do see some, mostly boys about 6-10 years old. Images of boys 11 years old and older wearing Fauntleroy suits are quite rare, but not unknown. Age 11 is when boys become increasingly aware of the world round them and more dispsed to question their parents and teachers. Not really reberlious, but the beginning of the process.
We know this to be the case because we have an extensive archive of not only studio portraits, but also school photography during the Fauntleroy era (1880s, 1890s, and 1900s). School photography at the time was all group portraits, and not the individual shots of modern school photography. The school photography provide a good look at what the average American boy was wearing at the time.
There are two kinds of Fauntleroy suits that we see these older boys wearing. There were the classic Fauntleroy cut-away jacket suits mostly worn by yonger boys, but most of what we see are regular suits worn with Fauntlerioy collars and floppy bows. We do note some boys of 11-12 years of age wearing classic Fauntleroy suits, but they are not very common even during the peak of the Fauntleroy craze. We suspect that even in the late-19th century, boys at about age 11 would have complained at that. Some especially fashion conscious mothers may have insisted. Or only brought out the Fauntleroy suits for especially formal occasions. We see sone, but niot very many. On the whole at age 11 classic Gauntleroy suiys were arare. What we mostly see is boys wearing more mature lapel suits, but with Fauntleroy touches such as an large ruffled collars and even even wrist cuffs along with floppy bows. These items were usualy toned down versions of what the younger boys wore. The Ohio boy here is a good example although he does not have the Fauntleroy cuffs (figure 1). Fancy cuffs were not as common as the large collars. We are not sure if the boys are wearing Faunleroy blouses oir pin on collars. Outfits like this were fairly common for America boys at age 11 in the 1880s and 90s, but less so by the end of the 1900s. These outfits had the advantage that mother could just remove the fancy collar and the boy could wear the suit for another year or two. And they could be worn for special occasions. The suits involved were not fancy velvet suits, but were usually dark suits without loud patterns. While this was what we usually see. There were some boys that got the full Fauntleroy treatment even at age 11 years, although the collars and floppy bows were usually not quite as large as what the younger boys wore.
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