Figure 1.--This illustration from a 1884 French fashion magazine shows two children in dresses. The one on the right with short hair and sailor hat is definitely a boy. Note the elaborate sash worn with his dress.

A sash is a long band or scarf, usually made of silk, satin, or other fancy material. It is worn over the waist or shoulder. Military officers often wear shoulder or waist sashes as part of a formal military uniform. Waist sashes have been worn by women or children, both girls and boys, for ornament on formal clothes. Waist sashes were worn with Fauntleroy suits, dresses, and other outfits. They came in different materials and colors and worn with or weithout end tassles or edgeing. They were also worn at varying length and tied with different knots. Shoulder sashes are worn by boys wearing Scottish and Irish kilts for formal occasions and for participating in Higland and Irish dancing sashes varied substanitally.

Waist Sashes and Cummerbunds

Waist sashes were the most commonly worn sashes by boys. Boys wore waist sashes with many clothing styles. They were usually added to fancy clothes like velvet Fauntleroy suits and white party dresses. They were most common for boys during the late 19th and early 20th century with the fancy outfits for boys that were poopular during that period. Sashes were worn when a mother wanted a boy in his best party suit. They were usually only added for special occasions of course and not an everyday style. The common name for a waist sash sash is "Cummerbund", a term of Indian origins. Some waist sashes simplu wrapped around the waist, like the cummerbund. Others had a knot with a length of materail falling vertically at the side from the waist sash. Some authors speculated that the color of the sashes, such as blue for boys, could have inicated the gender of the child. This was, however, not always the case as color conventions were not yet well established during the era in which boys wore sashes. The sash was generaly made of a somewhat stiffer material with a finer finish from that of the dress or velvet Fauntleroy suit.

Shoulder Sashes

Waist sashes are the best known sashes, but there are also shoulder sashes, although we are not sure this is the best term. This is an item associated with modern Celtic clothing. HBC has noted few example of boys wearing shoulder sashes. One exception is kilt outfits. We have noted shoulder sashes are worn by boys wearing dressy Scottish and Irish kilts outfits. S These are generally associted with dancing costimes or pipe bands. ome Scouts wear sashes wear they have sewb their awards, rather than sewing them on their uniforms. The only other sash we has noted are those worn by princes in fancu military uniforms.

Created: March 30, 1999
Last updated: 11:34 AM 4/29/2005