Figure 1.--This American boy is unidentified. This photo came from the Ferry Seed Estate in Detroit Michigan. This photo was most likely taken in Santa Cruz California, the paperwork in the box of photos shows the photos were developed in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Santa Cruz California and dated 1889. Most phjotographs of American boys wearing kilted skirts show them being worn with suit jackets and often vests. This boy perhaps becvause of the heat is wearing is kilt skirt with a white blouse. He is however wearingb long stocking rather than kneesocks which was common with kilt suits.

A very popular outfit for younger boys in the late-19th century was the kilt suit. We have created a section on kilt suits and much of the information is about America where the style was most popular. We have a more limited section on American kilt suits. The kilts associated with kilt suits were almost always worn as suits. We note, however, a few images of boys wearing just the kilt skirts without the jacket and just a blouse. Actual Highland kilt outfits were less common, although boys from wealthy families like Franklin Roosevelt might wear them. While Highland outfits were not very common, they were worn. We even note one Highland outfit that one mother seems to have brought home from London, only with kneepants rather than a kilt.

Jacketed Dress

Some dresses were made with matching jackets. We see women and girls wearing this style. It was quite stylish for quite a time, It was also worn by boys who have not yet been breeched. It was not nearly as popular for boys as kilt suits, but we do see some boys wearing these dresses. It is a style similar in some extent to kilt suits. Both had jackets which usually matched the skirted part of the outfit. The essential difference here was what was under the jacket. If the child ws wearing a dress undernath, meaning a garment with a connected top and skirted bottom then we have a jacketed dress. If the child wears a blouse with or without a vest and kilt/skirt underneath, then he is wearing a kilt suit or skirt. The vests that were often worn with kikt suits sometimes maje it difficult to dertermuine just what the child was wearing.

Kilt Suit

A very popular outfit for younger boys in the late-19th century was the kilt suit. While few American boys in the 19th Century wore proper Scottish kilts with Highland regalia, many more boys wore the kilt suits that were popular in the late 19th Century. While Higland kilts were most popular with families that had Scottish conections, there does not seem to have been any relationship between kilt suits and Scotland. Mothers of many varied ethnic backgrounds chose klit suits for their boys. These suits were only worn by boys. We have created a section on kilt suits and much of the information is about America where the style was most popular. We have a more limited section on American kilt suits, but are gradually expanding it.

Kilt Skirt

The kilts associated with kilt suits were almost always worn as suits. Ww note, however, a few images of boys wearing just the kilt skirts without the jacket and just a blouse. This seems to have been a summer style. What we are unsure about is if American mothers purchsed or made kilt-skirts to be worn without jackets or if they just dressed the boys in only the kilt-skirt during warm summer weather. We have not yet found any written information on this. All we have to go on is the photographic record. So far we have only noted photographs of bous just wearing the skirt-kilts during the summer and we do not yet have studio portraits. The studio portraits of course could have been taken during the fall or winter. We notice a numbr of examples. One is an unidentified Worcester family about 1880.

Higland Kilt

Actual Highland kilt outfits were less common, although boys from wealthy families like Franklin Roosevelt might wear them. While Highland outfits were not very common, they were worn. We have found several portraits of American boys wearing full Higland regalia, most commonly in the late 19th century up to about the turn-of-the 20th century. . We even note one Highland outfit that one mother seems to have brought home from London, only with kneepants rather than a kilt.

Ethnic Clothing

We also note some American boys wearing kilts as part of ethnic outfits and ethnic dancing outfits. This was most common with children of Irish and Scottish ancestry. Greek children also wire kilt outfits.

Created: 2:52 AM 12/30/2004
Last updated: 5:24 AM 7/27/2008