*** collar bows chronology late-19th century








Bows on Boys' Collars: Chronology--Late 19th Century

19th century collar boys
Figure 1.--"This portrait of an American brother and sister is unidentified. Note that it is the boy who wears the bow. This was a common convenctioin in the late 19th century. The portrait is also undated, but we would guess the early 1880s. We do know thast the portyrait was taken by L.W. Zuver in Parkers Landing, Pennsylvania.

Floppy bows were widely worn by boys in the late 19th century. Boys wore floppy bows in a range of sizes. The late 19th Century saw collar bows reach the peak of their popularity. In the 1880s the sizes of the bows often increased and a greater variety of colors and even patterns became fashionable. The larger bows worn in the 1880s appear to be a direct result of the Fautleroy craze which swept the nation. A good example is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s. The growing sizes of the bows was in part due to the large size of the lace collars worn with the increasingly popular Fauntleroy suits. The bright bows added a bit of color to the Fauntleroy or other dark-colored suits. Apparently many mothers felt that a small stringy bow would look out of place with a large lace collar. We note floppy bows with other types of clollars such as Eton collars. A good example here is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s. Boys' collars grew larger and larger as fawning mothers waged a veritable arms race to see who could put the largest collar, often lace collar, on their sons. Along with the large collars went larger and larger bows. Not all boys wore bows with their collars, but most did.

Popularity

Floppy bows were widely worn by boys in the late-19th century. Bows were not required wear, but they wre very common. Mothersloved them. Boys wore floppy bows in a range of sizes and styles. The late-19th century saw collar bows reach the peak of their popularity. We see various bows being worn by boys in the late 19th century, both floppy bows and ribbon bows. They were relively small at first. A good example is an unidentified English boy during the 1870s. This all changed with the Fauntleroy Craze (1880s). Floppy boys became the dominant neckwear for boys and the sizes could be huge, especially for younger boys. Floppy bows continued to be emensly popular the following decade (1890s).

Decade Trends

Boys did not commonly wear bows in the mid-19th century. The most common neckwear was the stock--often black. Neckwear trends changed significantkly in the 1870s. We see some boys wearing them in the 1870s. They were, however, of modest size. In the 1880s the sizes of the bows often increased and a greater variety of colors and even patterns became fashionable. The larger bows worn in the 1880s appear to be a direct result of the Fautleroy craze which swept the nation. We see boys, however, wearing floppy bows with all sorts of outfits. They were populsar with Fauntleroy suits, but were also wrn with kiklt suits and sack suits as well. A good example is Martin Allister Wambold, an American boy in 1886. We see the bows getting larger and larger. This apears to be largely a finction of the size of the clarr which also got larger and larger. Another example is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s. A good example here is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s.

Collars

We see floppy bows commonly in the 19th century, especilly in America. Some seem enormous, especially given the size of younger boys. The growing sizes of the bows was in part due to the increasingly large size of the collars at the time, although it is difficult to say whuch was responsible. We suspct the both grew in size in tandem. Both lace abd ruffled collars were worn with Funtleroy suits. Lace collars, however, for the most part had limits. This is because true lace is expensive. And a large lace collar would be very expensive. Of course for a rich family this made no difference. But the Fauntleroy suit ws not just worn by rich children. It was a enormously popular fashion. And many middle-class boys wore the elaborate outfits. And for that matter prosprerous orking lass mothers might also buy a Fauntleroy sut for their on, or at least Fauntleroy items like blouses and floppy bows. Thus we also see enormous ruffled collars done in the same fabric as the blouse. Unlikelace collars, the ruffled collars were not very expensive. These wee worn with and without floppy bows, although the bows were often added. Agood example is American boy Edwin Carter about 1890.

Colors

The bright bows added a bit of color to the Fauntleroy or other dark-colored suits.

Bow Sizes

Apparently many mothers felt that a small stringy bow would look out of place with a large lace collar. Boys' collars grew larger and larger as fawning mothers waged a veritable arms race to see who could put the largest collar, often lace collar, on their sons. Along with the large collars went larger and larger bows.

Bow Styles

We note floppy bows with other types of clollars such as Eton collars.

Country Trends

We see boys in several countries wearing bows. They seem go be especially common in America, but this may be becuse we have such a large American archive. We see bows being worn throughout Europe. At this time bws seem especially common in England and France. A good example is an unidentified English boy. We see bows in manu other countries as well.

Option

Not all boys wore bows with their collars. We see a number of portraits where the boys did not wear bows. Most boys, however, did wear floppy bows when dressing up. They are very common in the phtographic record.







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Created: 8:53 PM 12/30/2004
Last updated: 7:50 PM 11/8/2014