Figure 1.--Here is an example of the decoration on American Fauntleroy suit pants. They are easier to see on the light-colored suits. Click on the image to see the boy's jacket and blouse. |
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Fauntleroy suit decoration was quite varied. Some suits were plain. Others were highly decorated. The decoration is often not immediately apparent. The fancy blouses and bows usually grabbed theeye. Thus decorations on the oants often escaped notice. Many of the suits were black or other dark colors. Thus the decoration, commonly done in the same color as the jacket and pants. Thus it does not show up well in ohotographs. The decoration included elaborate embroidery and applique. The decoration was most common on the jacket, but we also see it on the pants as well. This decoration on the pants generally matched the embroidery and applique on the jacket. These decorations were not only used on Fauntleroy suits. Military uniforms at the time used these decorations. We see them very commonly on Fauntleroy suits. Fauntleroy suit pants also often, but not always, had the three buttons at the hem that were common on most knee pants. There were other decorations associated with Fauntleroy suit pants. The most common was bows at the knee hem. Quite a few mothers added them. And we also see waht look like pautalettes. Some boys did wear pantalettes with Fauntleroy suits. We think in some cases, mothers added flounces that just look like pantalettes. This was not very common, bit we do see some examples.
Fauntleroy suit decoration was quite varied. Some suits were plain. Others were highly decorated. The decoration is often not immediately apparent. The fancy blouses and bows usually grabbed theeye. Thus decorations on the pants often escaped notice.
Embroidery was the most common decoration on the pants. Many of the suits were black or other dark colors. Thus the decoration, commonly done in the same color as the jacket and pants. Thus it does not show up well in ohotographs. The decoration included elaborate embroidery and applique. The decoration was most common on the jacket, but we also see it on the pants as well. This decoration on the pants generally matched the embroidery and applique on the jacket. These decorations were not only used on Fauntleroy suits. Military uniforms at the time used these decorations. We see them very commonly on Fauntleroy suits.
Fauntleroy suit pants also often, but not always, had the three buttons at the hem that were common on most knee pants. In some cases gthey matched the buttons on the jacket.
There were other decorations associated with Fauntleroy suit pants. The most common was bows at the knee hem. Quite a few mothers added them. They always see to be black or some other dark color. If the suit was a dark color sch as dark blue, green, or burgandy. the ribbon might be one of those colors. We do not, however, see white or othe light color ribbons.
And we also see waht look like pantalettes. Some boys did wear pantalettes with Fauntleroy suits. We think in some cases, mothers added flounces that just look like pantalettes. They were sewn on to the leh hems. This was not very common, but we do see some examples. pantalettes were widely worn by children in the 19th century. They were most common for girls, but younger boys also wore them. They were used to cover the legs of children when hem lines rose. They seem more common in Europe than America, but they were fairly common in America during the early and late-19th century. It is a little difficult to tell how common they were in the late-19th century because the convention was that they not fall below hem limes. They were especially rare with boys once breeched, but we have found a few examples, at least of flounces made to look like pantalettes.
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