American Boys' Collar Styles: Ruffled Collars--Chronology

Ruffled collars were worn in Europe at the time that America was founded (17th century). They were worn by men and had nothing to with age. The styles were famously captured by artists like Van Dyke. Boys at the time after beeching wore smaller versions of the same styles that their fathers wore. Fancy clothes, hoever, were not common in the America during this earlyperiod. conditions were very primitive and in the north, the pilgrims/purotans had a very plain approch to fashion. America developed during the next century and we see cities with well-to do elites. We see lace and ruffled collrs, although European inspired fashions, including the collars and other stylistic details were more constrained (18th century). And while cities had developed, the vast majority of the population lived in rural areas where fancy European fashions were not common. The first dedicated boys' garment was the skeleton suite (late-18th century). We see some worn with fancy ruffled collars, often open collars. Boys cintinued to wear ruffled collars with skeleton (early-19th century). This was not the only collar style. We also see Eton collars, but is was a choice for fashion concious mothers. We also see these collars on some fashion outfits for fashionable younger men who might be reffered to as 'dandies' (early-19th century). Fashions became less flayboyant with the onset of the Victorian Age (mid-19th century). We still see ruffld collars. A good example is Thomas Smith in the 1840s, but they began to grow smaller (1850s) and by the next century also disappeared (1860s). Ruffles, lace, and other collars could be extrodinrily small. Quite a number of boys wore ruffs that just peaked out at the collar (1860s). We see quite a number of some boys with thee smll ruffs An example is American boy about 1860. Notice how small the collar is. We see somwhat larger collars (1870s). American boys at first from affluent families wore ruffled collars in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The primary reason for the sudden popularity of the ruffled collar was of course Mrs. Burnett's book, Little Lord Fautleroy (1885). Suddenly we see large numbers of American boys wearing huge ruffled collars as part of Fauntleroy outfits. It was not until the Funtleroy craze that we see really large ruffled collars (1885-1905). Some of these ruffled collars were huge, the largest that we have ever seen. Younger boys see almost overwealmed by them. We see large numbers of American boys wearing these ruffled collars. Some wore actual Fauntleroy suits. Many others wore the collars with regular suits including countless school-age boys, although nt necessarily to school. This fashion was very popular through the turn of the 20th century. A good example is B. Curtlis Sunderland about 1900. The popularity of these collars rapidly declneed (early-20th century). These large collars rapidly declined in popularity. Ruffled collars did not totally disappear. We see younger boys in fancy outfits including ruffled collars (1930s). After this we only see them in fancy formal wedding outfit for little boys such as ring bearers.

The 17th Century

Ruffled collars were worn in Europe at the time that America was founded (17th century). They were worn by men and had nothing to with age. The styles were famously captured by artists like Van Dyke. Boys at the time after beeching wore smaller versions of the same styles that their fathers wore. Fancy clothes, hoever, were not common in the America during this earlyperiod. conditions were very primitive and in the north, the pilgrims/purotans had a very plain approch to fashion.

The18th Century

America developed during the next century and we see cities with well-to do elites. We see lace and ruffled collrs, although European inspired fashions, including the collars and other stylistic details were more constrained (18th century). And while cities had developed, the vast majority of the population lived in rural areas where fancy European fashions wee not common. The first dedicated boys' garment was the skeleton suits (late-18th century). We see some worn with fancy ruffled collars, often open collars.


Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait shows a boy wearing a huge ruffled collar and white floppy bow with a regular suit. Fauntleroy suits were popular for younger boys at the time, this approach of regular suits with Fauntleroy touches was more common for older boys. This noy looks to be about 7 years old. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1890s.

The 19th Century

Boys continued to wear ruffled collars with skelton suits (early-19th century). This was not the only collar style. We also see Eton collars, but is was a choice for fashion concious mothers. We also see these collars on some fashion outfits for fashionable younger men who might be reffered to as 'dandies' (early-19th century). Fashions became less flayboyant with the onset of the Victorian Age (mid-19th century). We still see ruffled collars. A good example is Thomas Smith in the 1840s, but they began to grow smaller (1850s) and by the next century also disappeared (1860s). Ruffles, lace, and other collars could be extrodinrily small. some boys ruffs that just peaked out at the collar (1860s). Quite a number of boys wore these small ruffs An example is American boy about 1860. Notice how small the collar is. We see somwhat larger collars (1870s). American boys at first from affluent families wore ruffled collars in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The primary reason for the sudden popularity of the ruffled collar was of course Mrs. Burnett's book, Little Lord Fautleroy (1885). Suddenly we see large numbers of American boys wearing huge ruffled collars as part of Fauntleroy outfits. It was not until the Funtleroy craze that we see really large ruffled collars (1885-1905). Some of these ruffled collars were huge, the largest that we have ever seen. Younger boys seem almost overwealmed by them. We see large numbers of American boys wearing these ruffled collars. Some wore actual Fauntleroy suits. Many others wore the collars with regular suits (figure 3). This included countless school-age boys, although not necessarily to school. Actual Fauntleroy suits were mostly worn by younger boys, but older boy commonly wore regular suits with Fauntleroy touches like ruffled collars. It was the peak of popularity of ruffled collars for boys. And even girls never wore such huge collars. And nowhere were they so popular as America.


Figure 4.--The boys are the sons of Mrs. John Elliott. Notice the small ruffled collar worn by the younger boy as part of his button-on suit. The boys look to be about 4-9 years old. The portrait was taken in 1929. Studio: A. Genthe.

The 20th Century

This large ruffle collar fashion was very popular through the turn-of-the 20th century. The popularity of these collars rapidly declined (early-20th century), but only after the first decade. .A good example is B. Curtis Sunderland about 1900. Curtis seems almost engulfed by his huge ruffled collar. And this was not just for little boys. We see many pre-teens weaearing them and even a few boys about 13-years old. Actual Little Lord Fauntleroy suits rapidly declined, especially fter 1905, but we see quitte a number of large ruffled cillars throughout the 1900s and into the 10s. ndwe now see more colored blouses with these collars. By the end of the 1900s, the popularity began to decline. And during the 1910s they became much less common, especially with the advent of World War I. We see these boys wearing blouses with these collars without jackets during the summer and with jackets for more formal occassions or during the winter. After the early-1910s they rapidly disappeared in popularity. We see far fewer boys agter the mid-10s with these collars. After World War I in the 1920s, larger ruffled collars were no longr a major fashion item. Ruffled collars did not totally disappear. We see some younger boys wearing small ruffled collars. A good example can be seen here with a small ruffled collar in 1929 (figure 4). We see younger boys in fancy outfits including ruffled collars (1930s). After this we only see them in fancy formal wedding outfit for little boys such as ring bearers.







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Created: 9:55 AM 12/14/2015
Last updated: 5:50 AM 7/28/2017