Figure 1.--These unidentified brothers were phographed in the 1890s. The younger boy who looks to be about 4-years of age wears a Fauntleroy suit and fancy ruffled collars. The older boys looks to be about 10-13 years of age. They wear regular suits with Eton collars. Note the Eton collars are not white. The only Fauntleroy item worn by the older boys are the large floppy bow. Because of the age gap between the boys, we do not know at what age thy began wearing regular suits. The studio was Autogravure Co. in St. Louis, Missouri.

There were no precise age steps in clothing age grading. Mothers varied on garments were suitable for what ages, but there are some general patterns that can be observed in the photographic record. This is not always easy to tell using the photographic record. If the age between the children is close than the age can be inferred fairly easily. If there is a gap in the children's ages than it is much more difficult to tell. Photography was a well-established family tradition by the time the Fauntleroy craze began. There is thus a wealth of images from which we can assess specific year age trends. Usually the ages are not given, but can be estimated to a fair degree of accuracy. The photographs tell us very definitively at what age various styles were worn, but unless the children are close in age, we can not tell precisely when the changes were made.

Created: 2:34 AM 10/5/2014
Last updated: 2:34 AM 10/5/2014