Skeleton Suits: Boys' Ages



Figure 1.--This portrait by Sir William Beechey was probably painted about 1820. It shows the convention of dressing boys of different ages different was already well established. The younger brother wears a skeketon suit while his older brother wears plain trousers. A sad note. The older boy is depicted in a black jacket because he died before the painting was completed.

One interesting question is what age boys wore skeleton suits. We know little boys wore dresses in the 18th and 19th centuries. I'm not sure at what age they were breeches and allowed to wear trousers. There was not set age and it in most cases up to the mother. It is likely that most boys were breeched at about 5 years of age, but image exists of boys 3 and 4 years old in skeleton suits, so we know that some boys were breeched earlier. In contrast, there are also accounts of boys as old as 11 still wearing dresses, so we know that breeching could be delayed well beyond 5 yeas of age. British boys going away to school appear to have worn skeleton suits during the first decades of the 18th century. Younger boys who had worn tunics would wear skeleton suits for school. Unfortunately this does not tell us much about age as there was not set age at the time to enroll in the great public (private) schools. Schools accepted boys of widely varying ages. Only much later did the schools set upon about 13 years to standardize entry. Most boys probably began wearing skeleton suits at about 5 year of age after breeching. Certainly there are many images of boys wearing skeleton suits at about 5 or 6 years of age. Some mothers may have employed skirted garments like smocks or tunics, before choosing a suit with pantaloons. Some boys may have worn smocks or pinafores over there skeleton suits, but I have little information on this. Presumably if a boy was to have his portrait painted, he would not have worn informal garments like smocks and pinafores.

Ages

One interesting question is what age boys wore skeleton suits. HBC has noted boys as young as 3 years wearing skeleton suits, but 5 years appears more common. These are estimates based on painted portraits as clothing catalogs specifying sizes and features had not yet appeared. Boys appear to have worn skeleton suits to about 10-12 years of age.

Breeching

We know little boys wore dresses in the 18th and 19th centuries. I'm not sure at what age they were breeches and allowed to wear trousers. There was not set age and it in most cases up to the mother. It is likely that most boys were breeched at about 5 years of age, but image exists of boys 3 and 4 years old in skeleton suits, so we know that some boys were breeched earlier. In contrast, there are also accounts of boys as old as 11 still wearing dresses, so we know that breeching could be delayed well beyond 5 yeas of age.

School

British boys going away to school appear to have worn skeleton suits during the first decades of the 18th century. Younger boys who had worn tunics would wear skeleton suits for school. Unfortunately this does not tell us much about age as there was not set age at the time to enroll in the great public (private) schools. Schools accepted boys of widely varying ages. Only much later did the schools set upon about 13 years to standardize entry. Most boys probably began wearing skeleton suits at about 5 year of age after breeching. Certainly there are many images of boys wearing skeleton suits at about 5 or 6 years of age.

Other Garments

Other garments that boys in the late 18th and early 19th century might include the following:

Tunics

Some mothers may have employed skirted garments like smocks or tunics, before choosing a suit with pantaloons. Some boys may have worn smocks or pinafores over there skeleton suits, but I have little information on this.

Smocks and Pinafores

Presumably if a boy was to have his portrait painted, he would not have worn informal garments like smocks and pinafores. Thus many boys appearing in skeleton suits may have more commonly worn smocks or pinafores for every day wear.

Age Comventions

The skeleton suit was the first specialised boy's outfit. From very early points mothers began dressing teir sins of different ages in different styles to emphazie or recognize their ages. Young boys wore dresses like their sisters, boys from aboy 4-5 years of age to about 8-10 wore skeletin suits and tunics, older boys might wear trousers and ruffle shirts.





Christopher Wagner




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Created: May 12, 2000
Last updated: May 12, 2000