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There were two primary types of kilt suits. Some had jackets while others like the ones here had more blouse or shirt-like tops. The other type of kilt suit was a top which looks like a heavy blouse, shirt, or short jacket that was made in the same material as the kilt/skirt. These tops varied. Some bloucesd. The portrait on the previous page shows one of the blousing tops. Others seemn to button onto the kilt skirt. This is not always clear as there are waist bands. They look like a shirt/blouse or short jacket. All were collar-buttoning syles. They were not worn with suit jacket over it. We are less sure what was worn under it, but it appears to be often some kind of long-sleeved shirt, often a white shirt. The top itself was not a light-weight blouse or shirt, but made in suiting material, usually the same material as the kilt/skirt. We do not know if there were terms in the 19th century for these two different kilt suit types. They were both probably called kilt suits or even kilt outfits. Both were popular styles and we see countless portraits of both types. We believe that the jacketed suit, meaning a lapel suit jacket, was the most popular. They were not worn with vests, because as they were collar buttoning, the vest could not be seen. We can not yet, however confirm this. We are constantly expanding our archive to more fully develop details about both types.
There were two primary types of kilt suits. Some had jackets while others like the ones here had more blouse or shirt-like tops. The other type of kilt suit was a top which looks like a heavy blouse, shirt, or short jacket that was made in the same material as the kilt/skirt. These tops varied. Some bloucesd. Others seem to fit snuggly over the top of the kilt. Waistbands seem to hide just how the kilt skirt was suported. All seem to button up the front. The portrait on the previous page shows one of the blousing tops. Others seemn to button onto the kilt skirt. This is not always clear as there are waist bands. They look like a shirt/blouse or short jacket. There were different top styles. Most were collar-buttoning done in various styles. Another popular top was done in sailor styles. or sailor syles. They were not worn with suit jacket over it. The top itself was not a light-weight blouse or shirt, but made in suiting material, usually the same material as the kilt/skirt.
We are less sure what was worn under these blouse tops cwith kilt duits. In most cases the boys seem to have large pin on collars, not any kind of a blouse done in lighter shirting material. Here we can only guess because all we can see are the large fancy collars like vthe one the boy here is wearing (figure 1). We rre see much of what is worn underneath, either at the collar or sleeve cuffs. We have note what looks like a white blouse (always white) just peaking out at the collar, but much more commoinky there is a large fabncy, pin-on collar, often worn with a bow. Nor do we commonky see sleeve cuffs. This suggests that an undershoirt rather than a blouse is worn underneath. All of this is very difficult to determine because there are so few visyal clues. All we have to go on is collars peeking out under the top oe at the sleeve cuffs and these are very rare. .
We do not know if there were terms in the 19th century for these two different kilt suit types. They were both probably called kilt suits or even kilt outfits.
Both were popular styles and we see countless portraits of both types. This was a very populasr outfit for youngr boys, especially familkies in comfortable circumstances. We see fewer boys wearing dresses, in part because the kilt suit and the Faunleroy suoit were so popular, We believe that the jacketed suit, meaning a lapel suit jacket, was the most popular, but this is hard to tell because both were widely worn.
The blouse-top kilt suits were not worn with vests, because as they were collar buttoning. The vest could not be seen when buttoning at the collar. Vests were common with the jacketed kilt suits, but not wih these blouse types. We can not yet, however confirm this, but you could not tell from a photogeaph is a vest was worn, suggesting that they probably were not.
We are not entirely sure about the collars done with the blouse-type kilt suits. Here we are taklibg about different collars. The blouse-tops had attached collars. Amd mother might add a pin-on or a detachable collar for a decorative flair. We believe the tops had simple collars done in the same material a the top. most seem to have had moderately rounded collar. It is hard to tell because many mothers added large pin-on or detachable collars and/or floppy bows. The smller ones ysed in the 70s might not compeletly cover the attahed collars, but by the 80s the incrreaingly large collars and bows commonly did cover the attached collars on the blouse top. This greatly complicates our assesmment. Not all boys had these collars and bow, but many did. We think most of the tops had these collares. Many mothers added pin-on collars and bows for decorative affect. The pin-on collars and bows were restrained in the 1870s, but by the mid-1880s had begun to grow exponentially in size. This became very common in the 1880s as the Fauntleroy Craze took off. These pin-on collars took many forms. The pin-on collars varies, but by the 1880s we see lace collars and by the 90s ruffled, sometimes quite large ruffled collars. We are not yet sure about detachable collars like Eton collars.
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