*** Little Lord Fauntleroy suits : Classic period jackets








Little Lord Fauntleroy Suits: Classic Period Jackets (1885-95)

Fautleroy jackets
Figure 1.--This American from Boston wears a classic Fauntleroy suit. Note the small jacket and large lace collar. He wears his suit with a large colored bow. Note with this jacket there was no connecting tab at the top, although it is difficult to tell.

Fauntleroy suit styles varied considerably. There was a great variety of patterns available to the discerning, fashion conscious mother. This included both actual Fauntleroy jackerts as well as ordinary suit jackets to which Fauntleroy trim has bee added. The classic Fauntleroy jacket was a small cut-way jacket. As most available photographs only show the front of the jacket, we mostly know about the back from designs published on The Delineator and other publications. Jackets were often shaped at the back with a curving center seam. Many jackets had side pockets at the front and were closed at the front with button-holes and buttons. Most were designed, however, not to be closed to better show elaborately lace trimed blouses. These were cut-away jackets worn open. Some had a tab at the top to keep the two sides of the jacket minimally closed. Some jacket had slits cut at the back. There were a variety of stylistic variations. This include Fauntleroy sailor jackets. These were jackets with the familiar "V" collar, but unlike other sailor outfits, the jacket was worn open to show a fancy sailor blouse worn with it.

Patterns

Fauntleroy suit styles varied considerably. There was a great variery of patterns available to the discerning, fashion conscious mother. The basic characteristic was that it was a small cut-away jacket.

Front

We know a great deal about the front of the classic Fauntleroy jacket. Most available photographs only show the front of the jacket. The jacket was small and cut away. They were basically very plain, although some had embroidery. There were stylistic differences, but this hard to assess because the jackers were largely covered un by the large fancy blouses and huge floppy bows that that enveloped them. As a result it seems a wasted effort to devote much effort to the jackets. These jackets were in fact purpose designed to show off the fancy Fauntleroy blouses blouse worn with it to best advantge. this was best done by keeping the jackets small. The jacket here is larger than many, largely because the blouse had a small front placket. some. You can see a good bit of it. Some of the blouses were so fancy that they virtually enveloped the small jacket. While these small cut-away jackets were the standard jackets other jackets were used, even sailor jackets. Which is notable because part of the reason the sailor suit was popular becayse it was basically plain and utilitarian, more atuned to what was suitavke for boys. But mothers being mothers, some wanted a fancier appearance. So we actually see Funtleroy trim, including Fauntleroy blouses, worn with the sailor outfits.

Closures

The jackets had buttons and looked like they could be closed. The buttons, however, were for the most part purely ornamental. Despite the button-holes and buttons, the jackets were designed to be worn open. They were not to be closed to better show elaborately lace trimed blouses. These were cut-away jackets worn open. Most had a tab or connecting strap at the top to keep the two sides of the jacket minimally closed. But even this was not always engaged. The jacket here either did not have a connecting tab or it was not engaged (figure 1). Becaiuse the Fauntleroy blouses were often so frilly, it is often difficult to see the tab. The large floppy bows often worn also might cover over the tab. We have seen a few jackets with two connecting tab, but this was not at all common.

Back

Few photographic portraits We mostly know about the back from designs published on The Delineator and other publications. Jackets were often shaped at the back with a curving center seam. Some jacket had slits cut at the back.

Sleeves

The jackets were always done with long slleves, although part of the sleeve might br cobrred up with yhe sleeves from the Fauntleroy blouses as swe see with the boy here (figure 1).

Pockets

Many jackets had side pockets at the front.

Stylistic Variation

There were a variety of stylistic variations with the Fauntleroy jacket. This include Fauntleroy sailor jackets. These were jackets with the familiar "V" collar, but unlike other sailor outfits, the jacket was worn open to show a fancy sailor blouse worn with it. A good example is the jacket worn by the younger of two Indianapolis brothers, probably in the 1890s.

Other Suit Jackets

The eye can mislead readers. The Fautleroy blouse with its large collar, front, and cuffs can virtuall hide the jacket. Boys wore these b;louses with all kinds of different jackets. Many were in fact not Fauntleroy jackets. We often see boys wearing Fauntleroy blouses or collars with regular suit jackets or even sailor-styled jackets. A good example here is Robert Mason Hamilton, a Chicago boy in 1897. Unless one looks closely, they look like Fauntleroy outfits even though the boy is not wearing a Fauntleroy jacket.

Colors

Fauntleroy suits were made in many colors and materials and with a variety of features and embelishments. The classic Fauntleroy suit was black or dark blue. Later other dark colors appeared like burgandy or forrest green. We know suits were made in these colors because many wealthy families had portraits painted. Also fashion magazines during the period noted these colors, notably the velvet suits were usually dark colors. The suits done in satin, however, were usually lighter colors. An example here is Bert Dodge, an American boy photographed in the 1880s. Color is an interesting topic. We know that Fautleroy suits were made in black and the above noted dark colored velvets. What is not known, however, is the relative popularity of the different colors. I had assumed that the black suits were the primary colors. This is probably because I was viewing the photographic record which was, of course, all black and white photography. We know of no historical works discussing this question.






HBC






Fauntleroy Related Pages:
[Return to main Main Fauntleroy-look garments]
[Return to main Main classic Fauntleroy garment page]
[Return to main Fauntleroy page]
[Edwardian Fauntleroy suits] [Classic Fauntleroy suits] [Final Fauntleroy period] [Fauntleroy dresses]
[Lace collars] [Vivian Benett] [Fauntleroy patterns]



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Created: November 27, 1998
Last updated: 8:50 AM 3/8/2023