Figure 1.--Formal dress was very important in the 1900s, at least for those who could afford it. Samuel E. Peck offered this kneepants tuxedo for boys age 8 to 16 years. There was also a youth's version for boys 14-20 years. It may have been done in long pants, but here we are not sure. Notice the important white gloves and the model's center hair part. |
Formal dress among the affluent class was still very important in the early 20th century. We note an ad for S.W. Peck & Co. Tuxedo in the The Youth's Companion, one of the leading weekly periodicals in America at the time. The boys' tuxedo offered by Peck seems identical to adult tuxedos, except that it was done in kneepants and worn with black ling stockings. It was done for boys 8-16 years of age. There was also a youth's tuxedo, but I am not sure about the trousers. New York based S. E. Peck was a leading American provider of fine clothing.
The advertiser, Samuel Peck & Co., is a famous outlet for boys' clothes in New York City. The company was located at Samuel W. Peck & Co., 806-808 Broadway, New York City. Sameul W. Peck, the vendor, specialized in boys' clothing and made clothes for boys from age 2 1/2 to 20. They claimed to be the "Largest makers of Boy's Fine Clothing in the world."
This advertisement appeared in The Youth's Companion, 19 November 1903, p. 587. The publication described itself as "An Illustrated Weekly Paper For Young People and the Family." It was established in 1827. The magazine was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Perry Mason Company, 201 Columbus Avenue. It appeared under this title until 1929. It was in the late 19th century one of the most popular weekly periodicals in America and known for the quality of the writing. The magazine catered to teen-age boys and girls especially, containing articles on sports, on hobbies, and on various literary and cultural interests. But it was really a family magazine and had many advertisements for clothing, both adult and children's. The magagazine had a very strict policy about the advertising carried because its readers were mostly children.
The tuxedo is one of the two basic styles of formal wear. It is esentially an adult fashion dating from the 19th century. Thus the history of the tuxedo deals with its development as men's wear. As in many areas of men's fashion, the Prince of Wales, in fact two princes of Wales< played a key role in the development of the tuxedo. The term tuxedo, however, is an American innovation. One of the principal role of the tuxedo is in a formal wedding. At these weddongs boys for many years did not wear tuxedos. Only recently in the 1980s have boys begun wearing tuxedos for formal occasions. Boys now wear them mostly with long pants. Some ring bearers, however, wear short pants tuxedos.
Samuel W. Peck & Co. of New York offered formal tuxedos for boys and youths. Everything about this suit is the same as that which an adult man would wear except for the knee pants and the long black stockings. Notice also that this boy seems to be wearing very formal grey spats that button on over this hightop shoes. This
too seems to be an adult feature. These tuxedos are made in sizes to fit two age ranges of young males--8 to 16 years for boys, 14 to 20 years for youths. There is some overlap here, indicating, I suppose, that for some parents, age 16 still indicated a boy while for other parents it designated a "youth". A reader writes, The conservatism of the age is strongly revealed in the fact that even 20-year-
old "youths" were still kept in knee pants, even when they were allowed to address as adults in most other respects." HBC is not positive, however, that the youth version was done in kneepants.
These tuxedos (the American term for "dinner jackets") were presumably worn only after dark and for formal occasions such as dinners and dances when adult males would be wearing either "black tie" (dinner jackets) or "white tie" (tails). The ad copy read, "The Sampeck--Fine Clothes For Juveniles, Boys, and Young Men are Fashionable, Perfectly Tailored, Most Serviceable. Ask for and insist upon this label: It is the mark of Highest Quality and the Makers' Guarantee of Satisfaction. The
Handsome Autumn and Winter styules are now displayed by department stores and leading clothiers everywhere.
Fashionable Tuxedo. Ages 8-16, price $12.50 up. Also in Youths', 14-20 years. $15.00 up. Handsomely Illustrated Booklet of Fashionable Clothes for Boys, ages 2 1/2 to 20, and name of dealer upon request.Samuel W. Peck & Co., 806-808 Broadway, New York
Largest makers of Boys' Fine Clothing in the world."
The Peck ad does not provide a detailed decription of the tuxedo. The illustration clearly shows a boy wearing a kneepants tuxedo suit. We assume that is the boys' version for boys 8-16 years. What we are not sure about is if the youth version for boys 14-20 years also had kneepants. If so we are not sure what the difference was between the boys and youth tuxedos. A reader writes, "I think we may have the youth version of the tuxedo in the
illustration. But even not, I don't think any boy would be wearing long pants at this time before at least 18. And I believe if long pants were meant, the ad would say so. I believe we can assume knee pants in all the suits. And compare the Canadian ad from Eaton's about the same period. No mention of long pants there either." It is certainly true that most American boys in the 1900s wore kneepants, even some older teen agers. Even so we note that long pants suits were made in teenage sizes. Not all boys wore kneepanrts.
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