|
Fauntleroy suits continued to grow in popularity during the 1890s. Infact, the 1890s was the high-point of the Fauntleroy suit and Fauntleroy styling as wll as the related ringlet hair styling. The Funtleroy Craze dominated the decade like no decade before or since. The Fauntleroy Craze only began in the mid-1880s and took a year or so to become firmly established. In contrast the style was popular througout the 1890s. And nowhere else in the world was it as popular or widespread. We note large numbers of boys wearing Fauntleroy suits. One aspect of the early Fauntleroy suit was that velvet and lace were expensive and thus the classic suit was expensive. The same was the case of ringlet curls. Doing a boy's hair in ringlets was a time consuming undertaking. Not every mother had the time and energy for this endevor. Modest income mothers, however, like their more affluent contemporaries, wanted to dress theur boys stylishly. Thus we not only see classic velvet Fauntlerouy suits, but suits done in less expensive material. This reflected the desire for mothers of modest means to dress their sons in the popular Fauntleroy suits. We also see boys wearing regular suits to which mothers had added Fauntleroy trim. This had the affect of raising the age at which boys wore Fauntleroy-styled outfits. We note large ruffled collars becoming increasingly popular in the 1890s. Ruffled collars could be made in much larger sizes than lace collars as the material was not nearly as expensive as lace. The collars on Fauntleroy blouses became enormous. Some of these collars alsomost seem to envelop the boys wearing them. A good example of a boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit during the 1890s is Merlle Pontius in the early-1890s. Notice how his outfit is fancier than his sister's dress. We also mote Charles H. Pool, Jr. photographed in 1896. We see many younger boys at schools in the 1890s wearing Fauntleroy suits. A good example is Griff Prather Knapp in 1891. Another example is an unidentified Catholic school. We note a New York boy wearing a light-colored summer Fauntleroy suit in 1893. The boy has long wavy hair. And we note a boy who has just been breeched having his portrait taken at the Best & Co during 1896.
Fauntleroy suits continued to grow in popularity during the 1890s. Infact, the 1890s was the high-point of the Fauntleroy suit and Fauntleroy styling as wll as the related ringlet hair styling. The Funtleroy Craze dominated the decade like no decade before or since. The Fauntleroy Craze only began in the mid-1880s and took a year or so to become firmly established. In contrast the style was popular througout the 1890s. And nowhere else in the world was it as popular or widespread. We note large numbers of boys wearing Fauntleroy suits.
One aspect of the early Fauntleroy suit was that velvet and lace were expensive and thus the classic suit was expensive. The same was the case of ringlet curls. Doing a boy's hair in ringlets was a time consuming undertaking. Not every mother had the time and energy for this endevor. Modest income mothers, howver, like their more affluent contemporaries, wanted to dress theur boys stylishly. Thus we not only see classic velvet Fauntlerouy suits, but suits done in less expensive material. This reflected the desire for mothers of modest means to dress their sons in the popular Fauntleroy suits. Thus we notice standard fabic like serge rather thsn velvet. And we see lrge ruffled collars sine in cotton or linnen rather than expnsive lace.
An enormous photographic record and poeriod catalogs provides us detailed information on the ages of boys wearing auntleroy suits. This varied over time, but in the 1890s was the widest age range occurring duringbthe Fauntleroy craze. The ages of boys wearing Fauntleroy suits depended on the type of suit. There were two basic options, the classic Fauntleroy suit with cut-away jackets that we commonly think about as the Fauntleroy suit and the standard lapel suits. Most of the boys wearing classic Fauntleroy suits in the 1890s fall into the 2-6 year old category. The boy here looks to be a good example, about 3-4 years of age (figure 1). This varied from family to family. We see some older boys wearing them, but the great percentage of boys fall into the younger mostly pre-school ages. Older boys might wear standard suits or sailor-styled jackets with varying degrees of Fauntleroy trim and styling. We see school age boys wearing fancy Fauntleroy blouses and floppy bows. Here we see pre-teens wearing such outfits, but not to school. While we see many school-age boys wearing these outfits. Very rarely do we see younger teens except some boys from wealthy families being raised at home.
There were a variety of garments associated with the Faintleroy craze.
We also see boys wearing regular suits to which mothers had added Fauntleroy trim. This had the affect of raising the age at which boys wore Fauntleroy-styled outfits. Not really Fauntleroy duits, but standard suits with a range of Fauntleroy trim.
It is the lace collar that is most commonly associated with the Funleroy suit. Lace was a popular item with which to trim dresses. Belgian and other fince laces was very expensive. Mothers were after a showy look. And alittle bit of lace just didn't fill the bill. So very earl on the larger and less expensive ruffled collar became wht most boys wore with their Fsuntleroy suits. Lace might be added, but it was emrnse ruffle collarsusually done as part of a blouse with front and cuff work. It became the collar mostly worn with the Fauntleroy suit or with standard suits to create a Fauntkeroy look. We note large ruffled collars becoming popular in the 1889s and the standard throughout the 1890s. Ruffled collars could be made in much larger sizes than lace collars as the material was not nearly as expensive as lace. The collars on Fauntleroy blouses became enormous. Some of these collars almost seem to envelop the boys wearing them, especially the smaller boys. But it should not be thought that only smaller boys wore them. A good example of a boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit during the 1890s is Merlle Pontius in the early-1890s. Notice how his Fauntleroy blouse outfit with huge ruffled collar, ruffled front, and cuffs is fancier than his sister's dress. Lace could be added o these Fauntleroy collars, but it is usually cut out lace, not real lace.
The classic Fauntleroy suit was a small cut-way jacket with matching knee pants, often done in velvet. The boy herelooks to be wearing a standard classic cut-away jacket (figure 1). The styling was bery basic, but there was minor differences in the cut and size of the jacket. The cut-away style was standard because mother wanted to show off the frilly detailing of the fancy Fauntleroy blouses. Details such as the collar closing and the decoration of the jacket varies. Why many of the jackets were main, often covered up by the blouse, some had elaborate emroidery, usually doine iun the same color as the jacket. In some cases the embroidery was continued on to the knee pants.
American boys almost always wore straight-leg kneepants as part of Fauntleroy suits. Age amd no difference. Knee pants were standard boys' wear in the 1890s. We see boys of all ages wearing them. Brirish boys often wore Fauntleroy suits with bloomer knickers, but we rarely see them in America.
American boys almost always during the 1890s always wore Fauntleroy suits with dark long stockings. The primary exception was when wearing light-colored summer suits. The dark stockings were usually black. Thre may have been some colors as well, but we cannot tell from the black-and-white photogaphy of the day.
Almost all of the boys wearing Fauntleroy suits wear high-top shoes. This is the case even with younger boys. Strap shoes do not seem very common.
The standard Fauntleroy suit, mostly but nit entirely done for pre-school boys was done in velvet. We note other naterials. Lighter fabricswere made for summer. Standard suiting material was used for les expensive versions. We note a New York boy wearing a light-colored summer Fauntleroy suit in 1893. The boy has long wavy hair.
Most boys had their hair cut short at the time of breeching. So most boys wore Fauntleroy suits with short, standard hair cuts. These boys would not look out of place today wih their hair cuts, although of course their Fauntleroy suits are a very different mater. We notice many other boys, however, with long hair, especially ringlet curls. They are aestincr minority, but we still see quite a number. We see quite a number because so many boys wore Fauntleroy suits and had their portraits taken. We also mote Charles H. Pool, Jr. photographed in 1896. We note an unamed New Jersey boy with better formed curls. They are veey slender ringlets and there seems to be some curling at his forehead. The cabinet card is undated, but looks like the late-1890s to us. As with the Fauntleroy suit in general, 1890s seems the high point of ringlet curls for boys in America. The age range for boys with ringlet curls seems about the same for the classic Fauntkeroy suit, usually about 2-6 years of age. Although just like the Fauntleroy suits, we see a few older boys. Almost all of the boys with ringlets wear the classic suits. we do not note boys with standard suits and Fauntleroy trim with ringlets.
We see many younger boys at schools in the 1890s wearing Fauntleroy suits. A good example is Griff Prather Knapp in 1891. Another example is an unidentified Catholic school. One of the younger boy even seems to be wearing ringlets to school. That wasn't very common at school.
And we note a boy who has just been breeched having his portrait taken at the Best & Co during 1896.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Fauntleroy related pages:
[Return to the Main U.S. Fauntleroy chronology page]
[Return to the Classic Fauntleroy page]
[Fauntleroy dresses]
[Lace collars]
[Vivian Burnett]
[Fauntleroy patterns]
[Classic materials]
[Classic hair styles]
[Individual classic suits]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing other related pages:
[Dresses]
[Breeching]
[Kilts]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Sailor Hats]
[Blouses]
[Ring Bearers]
[Long hair]
[Ringlet curls]
[Hair bows]
[Bangs]
[Collars]
[Bows]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[About Us]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
