Figure 1.-- This cabinent card portrait is undated, but was probably made in the 1890s. The studio was R. P. Bellsmith in Cincinnati, Ohio. Handwritten text on the back reads, "GHN about 8 years old". Notice that he wears a regular collar under the lace collar.

We see boys of various age wearing lace collars, epecially during the Fauntleroy era of the late-19th and very-early-20th centuries, about 1885-1905. After the mid-1900s we still see lace collars, but they rapidly became much less prevalent. Lace collars were primarily worn by younger boys, somewhat younger that the ruffled collars that were even widely worn in the late-19h century. We have just begun to develop information on the age of boys wearing them. This is somewhat complicated by the fact thast ruffked collrs often had lace added as trim, especially the cut out lace. We see older boys wearing these partial lace collars than the real pure lace collars. We know very little about the early 19th century, but we don't thin they were very common. We rarely see them in early photographs (1840s-50s). We are etirely sure yet about the following two decades (1860s-70s). Like Fauntleroy suits, lace collars were mostly worn by pre-school boys. We see school-age boys wearing the, but they declined rapidly on popularity for school-sage boys. This was, however, the era thast we see the oldest boys wearing lace collars. We see boys up to about 10 years of age wearing lace collars. A good example is Carl Peirce who was 8 years old in the 1880s. After that it was much less common. Older boys wore blouses with ruffled collars, but lace collsars were much less common. This was especially the case after the turn-of-the 20th century.

Age 3 Years

Lace collars were primarily worn by younger boys, somewhat younger that the ruffled collars that were even widely worn in the late-19h century. We see boys of various age wearing lace collars, epecially during the Fauntleroy era of the late-19th and very-early-20th centuries, about 1885-1905. Quite a few 3-year olds wore them with Faunteroy suits. Younger boys wore them, but because many younger boys had not yet been breeched, they were not quite as common. Some observers believe that the age of breeching was somewhast hastened during the late-19th century because mothers were so anxious to outfit their sons in Fauntleroy outfits.

Age 4 Years

We note Ivan Eugene Perry wearing a lace collar with a tunic suit in 1906-07. He was 4-5 years of age, the family in a note some time after the portrait was taken was not sure.

Age 5 years

Like Fauntleroy suits, lace collars were mostly worn by pre-school boys. They wre most common for boys 3-5 years of age. This was before they began school and in the late-19th cenbtury, Kindergarten and pre-school ws not very common. We occassionaly note boys wearing lace collars and Fauntleroy outfits in rural schools. We believe that they may hace been younger brothers who for one reason or aniother were allowed to accompanby older brothers and sisters to school. We susoect school attendance rules were less strictly enforced at small rural schools than in the larger urban schools.

Age 6 Years

We see school-age boys wearing lace collars, but rarely to school. Boys began generally began school at age 6 years. And the photographic record shows quite a number of boys art age 6 years wearing lace collars. They were not a very practical school garment, in part because lace wa very expensive. And if the older boys were not wearing them, the younger boys woukd begi to resist. We thus expect that mothers reserved the lace collasrs for dress up family occassions like church and prties. While we see quite a number of 6-year olds wearing lace collars, the number declined steadily after age 6. The boys once they began school saw how other boys were dressesd and did not want to be dressed differently. Of course, parents at the time had aot more say than is the case today, but even so boys even in the 19th century were not without opinions.

Age 8 Years

We still see someboys wearing lace collrs at age 8 years. A good example is Carl Peirce who was 8 years old in the 1880s. After that it was much less common. Older boys wore blouses with ruffled collars, but laace collars were much less common. This was especially the case after the turn-of-the 20th century. The boy only identified as GHN here is another example (figure 1). We see, however, fewer boys wearing lace collars by age 8 years. This reflects the fact tht fewer boys wore Fauntleroy suits and thereally fancy Fauntleroy blouses by this age. Here there is a complication. We do see boys this age wearing ruffled collrs, both with Funtletoy suits and regular suits. Many mothers from about this age began adding lace and rufflled collars to regular suits. This is somewhat complicated by the fact thast ruffled collrs often had lace added as trim, especially the cut out lace. We see older boys wearing these partial lace collars than the real pure lace collars.

Age 10 Years

We see boys up to about 10 years of age wearing lace collars. This was not very common, but we do see a few examples.

Age 11 Years

We see quite a number of 11-year olds in the late-19th century wearing large fancy collars. Mostly we see them wearing ruffled collars. Even younger teens might wear blouses with ruffled collars. Lace collsrs were much less apparent. This was especially true with true lace. The examples we see with 11-year olds are mostly ruffled or other large collars thst may have lace added as trim. This could be true lace, but what we see more commonly is cut out lace which was much less expensive than true lace. We see pre-teens and younger teens wearing blouses with large ruffled collars. Often they were colored blouses. Biys even wore them to school. Usually they did not have any kibd of lace trim, especially after aout ahe 11 years. We do, however see some examples at age 11 years. Mores often added blouses with these cillars to a regular suit because boys at this age did not commonly wear Fauntlkeroy suits, especially to school.

Age 12 Years

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Created: 6:55 AM 10/4/2009
Last updated: 7:30 PM 10/3/2013