Figure 1.--This Scottish boy wears a velvet suit with detailing influenced by sailor styling. The boy is Sidney Harvey Burnett who was photographed during March 1872 in Aberdeen, Scotland. He looks to be about 4 or 5 years old. Click on the image for further details. Image courtesy of the MD collction. |
British attitudes toward kilts changed significantly in the
late 18th and early 19th
centuries. Romantic poets and authors like Burns and Scott had a great
impact on the popular imagination. The performance of kilted Higland
regiments in the Napoleonic Wars also influenced public opinion. One effect of the changing attitude toward Scotland was the renewed
wearin of the kilt in Scotland. Laws prohibiting the kilt had been
recended in the late 18th Century. II have few details, but I do know
that Scottish boys in the early 19th Century did dress up in kilts.
Paintings of the era depict boys in kilts for church and other dress
occasions. I am not sure if the kilt was perceived as a boys' style at
this time. I also do not know if they were also worn for other activities such as school or play. If readers have any infornation on this subject, I'd appreciate any contributions. The major moving influence in establishing the kilt as boys'
clothes for English and eventually american boys was Queen Victoria
who was fascinated
by Scotland. She built a royal estate at Balmoral which is still a
favorite of Queen Elizabeth today. The Queen outfitted the steadily
growing number of young princes
in picturesque kilts. I am not sure if she just picked up on a fashion
of the time or the clothes she saw when visitin Balmoral. Scottish boys
were wearing the kilt in the early 19th Century, but I'm unsure
as to how commonly. Perhaps outfitting the princes was an idea
she conceived herself. Hopefully some of our British observers will
provide some information on this. Wheather or not Victoria conceived
the idea herself, the impact of her decision is apparent. Suddenly the
kilt rather than being a symbol of resistance to England was endorsed by the Queen. Royal children ever since have been outfitted in kilts. (Notably Prince William and Harry do NOT appear in kilts even when visiting Balmoral. Although they did wear kilts 'as
young boys on extremely rare occasions. Their father Prince Charles,
however, was often dressed in a kilt and still wears one at Balmoral. Presumably they don't like the idea of continuing the Royal tradition.) With the Queen's approval, the kilt was surely seen much more in Scotland, including on boys and at school. If some mother's had dressed boys in kilts before the mid-1800s, after Victoria's example, the kilt became a major boys' fashion for dress wear. However how extensive the kilt became as an article of boys clothes I do not know. Nor am I certain just how the kilt was worn. Was it just for formal dress occasions, or was it worn as casual wear as well. It is likely that most Scottish boys dressed much like their
English cousins.
Scotland made enormous economic progress in the 19th cdentury. There was substantial economic expansioj in the major cities. The economic progress was not shared throughout Scotland. Considerable poverty continued in the Highlands and Islands. Poverty of course affects the clothing purchsed for children. We have not yet, however, fully assessed the impact of these economic trends on Scottish boys' clothing.
Scottish boys like English boys wore silor suits in the 19th century. We do not note any differences between the sailor suits worn in Scotland and those on in England. The sailor suit, however, does not appear to have been as popular in Scotland as it was in England.
We are unsure about the style of trousers worn by Scottish boys in the early 19th century. We ote that many Scottih boys were wearing kneepants by the mid-19th century, especially boys from affluent families. We are less sure about working-class boys.
British attitudes toward kilts changed significantly in the
late 18th and early 19th
centuries. Romantic poets and authors like Burns and Scott had a great
impact on the popular imagination. The performance of kilted Higland
regiments in the Napoleonic Wars also influenced public opinion. One effect of the changing attitude toward Scotland was the renewed
wearin of the kilt in Scotland. Laws prohibiting the kilt had been
recended in the late 18th Century. II have few details, but I do know
that Scottish boys in the early 19th Century did dress up in kilts.
Paintings of the era depict boys in kilts for church and other dress
occasions. I am not sure if the kilt was perceived as a boys' style at
this time. I also do not know if they were also worn for other activities such as school or play. If readers have any infornation on this subject, I'd appreciate any contributions. The major moving influence in establishing the kilt as boys'
clothes for English and eventually American boys was Queen Victoria
who was fascinated
by Scotland. She built a royal estate at Balmoral which is still a
favorite of Queen Elizabeth today. The Queen outfitted the steadily
growing number of young princes
in picturesque kilts. I am not sure if she just picked up on a fashion
of the time or the clothes she saw when visitin Balmoral. Scottish boys
were wearing the kilt in the early 19th Century, but I'm unsure
as to how commonly. Perhaps outfitting the princes was an idea
she conceived herself. Hopefully some of our British observers will
provide some information on this. Wheather or not Victoria conceived
the idea herself, the impact of her decision is apparent. Suddenly the
kilt rather than being a symbol of resistance to England was endorsed by the Queen. Royal children ever since have been outfitted in kilts. (Notably Prince William and Harry do NOT appear in kilts even when visiting Balmoral. Although they did wear kilts 'as
young boys on extremely rare occasions. Their father Prince Charles,
however, was often dressed in a kilt and still wears one at Balmoral. Presumably they don't like the idea of continuing the Royal tradition.) With the Queen's approval, the kilt was surely seen much more in Scotland, including on boys and at school. If some mother's had dressed boys in kilts before the mid-1800s, after Victoria's example, the kilt became a major boys' fashion for dress wear. However how extensive the kilt became as an article of boys clothes I do not know. Nor am I certain just how the kilt was worn. Was it just for formal dress occasions, or was it worn as casual wear as well. It is likely that most Scottish boys dressed much like their
English cousins.
There appear to be little difference between the other garments worn by Scottish and English boys, but our information on 19th century Scotland is still rather limited. The clothes worn by boys from aflluent families in particular appear very similar to English styles.
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