Figure 1.--This boy had his portrait painted in the late 19th century. The portrait is undated , but we would guess was done about 1890. We became to see more tradutionally stuled suits in the 1890s. Notice the non-V collar, the anchors on the shoulder, and the stars on the cuffs.

Few garments were so widely worn by boys and in so many different styles and forms. We are all familiar with the fact that boys began wearing sailor suits in the mid-19th century. Less familiar is the may varied styles of suits that were worn. The styles were inspired by naval uniform styles and traditional suits were based on actual uniforms. There were, however, a wide variety of sailor suits styles, especially in the 1860s and 70s. Some seamstresses used the same imaginination on boys sailor suits as they did with girl's dresses. Some were rather elaborate, varying substantially from actual naval uniforms. Only gradually did the traditional sailor suit with three stripes become an established standard. We are not intirely sure why the traditional suits gradually emerged as the standard style and eventually ecipsed the moreimaginative styles. We suspect that boys themselves preferred the suits more closely based on naval uniforms. The mass production of ready-made clothes also meant that that less diversity emerged because each garment was no longer hand made by seamstresses. Clothing catalogs in the late 19th and early 20th century had pages devoted to sailor suits in a wide variety of styles. A good examples of such variety is the Sears catalog in 1902. After World War I, sailor suits were much more standardized. We also note the appearance of button-on shorts sets, some of which were done as sailor suits. A good example is a portrait of a boy named Jimmy in 1934.

Traditional Styles

We are all familiar with the fact that boys began wearing sailor suits in the mid-19th century. Less familiar is the may varied styles of suits that were worn. The styles were inspired by naval uniform styles and traditional suits were based on actual uniforms. Subsequent sailorstyles were more imaginative, diverging substasntially from actial uniform styles. Only gradually did the traditional sailor suit with three stripes become an established standard. We are not intirely sure why the traditional suits gradually emerged as the standard style and eventually ecipsed the moreimaginative styles. We suspect that boys themselves preferred the suits more closely based on naval uniforms. The mass production of ready-made clothes also meant that that less diversity emerged because each garment was no longer hand made by seamstresses. Clothing catalogs in the late 19th and early 20th century had pages devoted to sailor suits in a wide variety of styles. A good examples of such variety is the Sears catalog in 1902. After World War I, sailor suits were much more standardized.

Non-traditional Styles

The first suits were replicas of actual uniforms, but this soon changed. There were, however, a wide variety of sailor suits styles, especially in the 1860s and 70s. Some seamstresses used the same imaginination on boys sailor suits as they did with girl's dresses. Some were rather elaborate, varying substantially from actual naval uniforms. The suit here is a good example (figure 1). Another good example is the St. Clar boys. We also notice sailor suits done with jackets rather than the traditional middy blouse. While the jackets commonly had sailor detailing they were not based on any actual naval uniforms. As far as we can tell, by the turn of the 20th century these non-traditional styles had largely disappeared.

Sailor Influence Styles

We also note the appearance of button-on shorts sets, some of which were done as sailor suits. A good example is a portrait of a boy named Jimmy in 1934. These suits did not have the standard "V" collar, but have clear sailor styling.

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Created: January 1, 2004
Last updated: 9:28 PM 6/27/2009