Figure 1.--

We notice some boys wearing skirted suits with not attempt being made to make the skirt look like a kilt. These may be early versions of the kilt suit for boys. This seems most common in the 1860s and 70s. We are less sure about the 1850s, in part because the photographic record is incomplete. We note that these skirted suits were worn by boys. Some have boyoish touches like military styling. We are not sure, however, if all of these skirted suit outfits were worn by boys. Some not show no attempt to present the skirt as kilt, but also show feminine touches, such as ruffles and florishes on the skirt. This does not necesarily mean, however, that they were worn by girls. We are not sure at this time to what extent such outfits were worn by girls.

Boy' Skirted Suit (United States, 1862)

Here we have a skirted suit wth knickers that an American boy wore in 1862. We even have the name of the boy, Harry Danniel. The outfit has military styling, but no attempt to make the skirt look like a kilt.

Child's Skirted Suit (United States, early 1870s)

Here we have a skirt suiy, probably from the 1870s. Again there is no attempt to make the skirt look like a kilt. In fact there are a variety of fancy, feminine touches. Here we are not sure if the child is a boy or girl. Here the hair style is also confusing.

Child's Skirted Suit (United States, 1870s)

This is another skirted suit. Here there is a minor attempt to present the skirt as a kilt as there are a few large pleats. There is also a two curious diagonal apliques on the skirt which we are unsure how to interpret. We are not sure if the child is a boy or girl. The child also has ringlet curls worn with a center part.

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Created: November 11, 2003
Last updated: November 11, 2003