Canadian Boys' Clothes: Suit Styles



Figure 1.--This portrait was taken in Saint Johns, New Brunswick. It was an AZO portrait print. It is not dated, but was probbly taken about 1010. The boy looks to be a young teenager about 13 years old. He wears a knickers Norfolk suit with long dark stockings. Image courtesy of the CS collection.

HBC has only limited information on the suit jacket styles were worn in the 19th century. As far as we can tell, Canadian boys wore basically the same suits styles as American boys. We notice cut-away jackets. Some were fancy jackets like Fauntleroy jackets. There were a variety of collar-buttoning jackets. Well to do boys, especially from English families, might wear Eton suits and collars. The collars were more popular than the suits. HBC has noted Norfolk suits in the early 20th century. This appears to have been as especially popular style in the early 20th centiry. There were also Norfolk jackers worn with pants of a different material. By the 1930s modern looking single breasted and double breasted suits. Blazers were worn, but we're not yet sure when they first appeared.

Collar Buttoning Jackets

There were a variety of collar-buttoning jackets.

Cut-away Jackets

We notice cut-away jackets. We do not have many images. But as this was a popular style in both America and Britain we believe it must also have been common in Canada. These were worn both with matching and other pants. We notice boys wearing what look like home-made cut away jackets, we think in the 1870s.

Double-breasted Suits

Blazers were worn, but we're not yet sure when they first appeared.

Eton Suits

Well to do boys, especially from English families, might wear Eton suits and collars. The collars were more popular than the suits.

Fauntleroy Suits

We notice Canadia boys wearing Fauntleroy velvet suits in the late-19th century. This was a very popular style, both in North America and Europe. As far as we can tell the stles and chronology as well as the conventions involved were very similar to those in the United States, although our archive of Canadian images is still quite limited. We note the same styles and trim such as lace collars and floppy bows. Boys seem to have worn Fauntleroy suits from about 3-8 years of age, but wenote some oklder boys as well. The original inspiration for fancy suits for younger boys was France where Mrs. Burnett who was English and moved to America as a youth lived for a few years. The style began in the late 19th century with the publication of Mrs. Burnett's book and continued into the early 20th century. We are unsure if there were differences among the English and French community concerning the tyles and wearing of Fauntleroy suits. Many Fauntleroy suits were back velvet, but we notice other colors of velvet and other material as well. We note a burgandy Fauntleroy suit that a Canadian boy wore for a wedding in 1896.

Norfolk Suits

HBC has noted Norfolk suits in the early 20th century. This appears to have been as especially popular style in the early 20th century. Here we see a St. Johns boy about 1910 (figure 1). We notice a wide range of arrangements of straps and belts. There were also Norfolk jackets worn with pants of a different material. Knickers weee especially common.

Single-breasted Suits

By the 1930s modern looking single breasted and double breasted suits.

Sailor Suits









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Created: October 13, 2003
Last updated: 1:19 AM 7/23/2015