|
The kilt suit came with a jacket and kilt-skirt. We believe that they were mostly sold that way. Most all kilt-skirts came with jackets. Some mothers may have sewed or purchased just the kilt-skirt, but we are not sure if this was very common. We are not entirely sure just how common it was to wear the jackets. We see some boys with just blouses and kilts. We think this may have been a prevalent practice during the summer. The photographic record may over emphasize the jackets because mothers wanted to dress boys formally. It probably was more common to wear the jacket, or probably more accurately to be photogrphed with the jacket. The jackets came in a quite a variety of styles, some more popular than others. Early suits came with short cut-away jackets. These jackets commonly did not match the kilt-skirt which were commonly done in plaid patterns. We have also noted both single and double breasted jacket styles. We also notice some jackets coming almost to the hem of the kilt shirt. Less common were long jackets like the one the boy here is weaing (figure 1). We have also noted sailor jackets. S Most of these jackets were made rather like suit coats. We have also noted jackets styled more like shirts without lapels and buttoning at the neck. These jackets were longer than the early small cut-away jackets.
The kilt suit came with a jacket and kilt-skirt and in some cases a vest. We believe that they were mostly sold that way. Most all kilt-skirts came with jackets at least with the available images. Some kilt sits had jackets and kilts that were clearly made to be worn together. In others the kilt and jsckets seem interchangeable. Some mothers may have sewed or purchased just the kilt-skirt, but we are not sure if this was very common. And we are not entirely sure just how common it was for the boys to wear the jackets. We see some boys with just blouses and kilts. We think this may have been a prevalent practice during the summer. But for boys at home it would seem that mothers might uinderstanabkly only dress them in a blouse and kilt and not having then wearing the jacket while playing around gthe hime. As most photography was studio portraits, it is difficult to assess this. The photographic record may over emphasize the jackets because mothers wanted to dress boys formally for a studio portrait. It probably was more common to wear the jacket, but all we know for sure that is was most common for the boys to be photogrphed with the jackets.
The jackets came in a quite a variety of styles, some more popular than others. The basic styles seem similar to the basic style of suits boys wore with trousers at the time. We have noted a range of styles in the photographic record. Early suits came with short cut-away jackets. These jackets commonly did not match the kilt-skirt which were commonly done in plaid patterns. We have also noted both single and double breasted jacket styles. These standard jacket styles seem to have been the most common. We also notice some jackets coming almost to the hem of the kilt shirt. Less common were long jackets like the one the boy here is weaing (figure 1). We have also noted sailor jackets. We have also noted jackets styled more like shirts without lapels and buttoning at the neck. These jackets were longer than the early small cut-away jackets.
Kilt suits were done with different types of tops, both jackets and blouse-type tops. Many of the jackets look very similar to the suit coat jackers worn with knee pants. We are less sure about the blouse-like tops. That is a subject we are still working on. Some from all appearances could be worn with knee pants as well as kilt-skirts. I am not sure such interchangeability was a conscious matter and that the transition actually occurred, but it seems very likely as a jacket was a relatively expensive item. Not all of these tops were interchangeable. Some were made specuifically for kilt suits and were not worn with knee pants. We see a variety of styles done as exclusively as kilt suit jackets. The styling is very destinctive. They might be jackets done to lengths that apprpach the kilt-skirt hem (figure 1). Or they might be done with what look like tabs or square/rectangular segments of fabric extending down before the waistline. These jackets were not very common, but we have found a number of them. We have not noted these jackets being worn with knee pants.
Some American boys wore kilt suit jackets that were especially designed for kilt suits. This was a variety of styles, most cut short in front or opened up, apparently to better show off the kilt in front. We are not entirely sure about the reason for this, but the cutting of the the jacket shorter in the front and longer in the back is apparent in the photographic record. The boy here is a good example (figure 1). These would have been the most expensive kilt suits. Other boys wore standard suit jackets. These soecial designs seem to have appeared as the kilt suit became increasingly popular in the 1870s. We are not sure to what extent these special designs were available in catalogs and stores as ready made wear. The kilt suit we see here is a style we have not seen commonly in the photographic record. Leading us to believe that it was tailor made by seamstress or a dress-making shop of some sort. The kilt suit, especially the jacket is probably too complicated for most home sewers.
Many images shows garments that can be wasily identified. This is especially the case once we have thne mass production of clothing after the mid-19th century. But we see some kilt suit jackets garmenbts that we can not aasily identify. We welcome reader input and insights readers might have in helping to understanfd what we are kooking at. y
.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
[Return to the Main American kilt suit jacket page]
[Return to the Main American kilt suit garment page]
[Return to the Kilt suit tops]
[Return to the Main American kilt suit page]
[Return to the Main National kilt page]
[Kilt History]
[Kilt Usage]
[Kilt suits]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
