** boys' suit jackets stylistic elements lapels








Boys' Suit Jackets: Stylistic Elements--Lapels


Figure 1.--These American brothers were from Spencerville, Ohio. They look to be about 6-10 years old. Notice how high up on the jacket the lapels of the older boy are placed. These are notched lapels. The cabinent card portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1890s.

The lapel is the most important stylistic element of a suit. It was a relatively modern innovation. There were no lapels on 18th century suits. The suit had become an important garment in the 18th century, but they were done without lapels. The lapel was the creation of the French Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars. Not one knows for sure who created the lapel. The general believe is that an officer in the heat of battle or perhaps during manuvers on a hot day, opened his tigthly buttoned coat at the collar and folded it back. From that point on the lapel became the major feature of men's suits. Almost all of the different types of suits had lapels , both single- and double-breasted suits. The lapel is essentially a vertical extension of the collar down the front of the suit. There are three basic types of collars: notch, peak, and shawl. The most common type for boys' suits has been the notch lapel, but this has varied over time. The placement and width of the lapel has also varied widely over time. Some lapels were small and set high up on the suit. And they varied greatly in width. There has a been a constant cycle over time as lapel widths have cycled and recycled every conceivable width over time. A good example of wide lapels is an American boy, Joe Meyer, we think in the 1870s. Lapel widths can thus be used to help date photographs. While lapels were a essential element of a man's suit jacket, some boys' jackets were made without lapels. The cut-away and collar-buttoninhg jackets which appeadared in the mid-19th century were made without lapels, although a few cut-away jackets had lapels. The cut-away jackets made for Little Lord Fauntleroy suits never had lapels. Collar buttoning jackets were widely worn in the late-19th century. We also note the Eton jackets worn by younger boys. The Mandarin and Nehru collar also did not have lapels, but they were no commonly worn by boys. While the lapel is primarily assoiciated with the suit jacket, we notice them sometimes being used on vests.

Imprtance

The lapel is the most important stylistic element of a suit. It is at the front and thius what you tend to notice the most.

Chronology

The lapel was a relatively modern innovation. There were no lapels on 18th century suits. These suits cold be quite elaborate, but there were no lapels. The suit had become an important garment in the 18th century, but they were done without lapels. The lapel was the creation of the French Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars. We see lapels just before the the turn of the 19th century, but noNot one knows for sure who created the lapel. The general believe is that an officer in the heat of battle or perhaps during manuvers on a hot day, opened his tigthly buttoned coat at the collar and folded it back. From that point on the lapel became the major feature of men's suits, but not a first on boys' suits. Whikle we see men wearing suits with lapeks we do not see boys earing suits with lapels until mid-century. The earliest outfit doine sopecufically for boys was the skeleton suit. Ie as worn friom the very late-18th centyury into tghe erly-19th cntury. And they were done without blaoels. Lapels were not very common for boys even by the mid-19th century. This was largely because two of the most common types of suits did not have lapels--collar-buttoning and cut-away jacket suits, but we do begin to see lapels by the 1850s. Thids began to change as the dack suit increased in popularity. From that point lapels become increasingly common. Almost all of the different types of sack suits had lapels, both single- and double-breasted suits. Most boys's suits had lapeks (20th centyury). The orimary exceprtion was the junior Eton suits worn by younger boys.

Description

The lapel is essentially a vertical extension of the collar down the front of the suit. There are three basic types of collars: notch, peak, and shawl. The most common type for boys' suits has been the notch lapel, but this has varied over time. The notch lapel is a one or two-piece dress or coat collar. The peak lapel is a two-piece lapel collar characterized by an upward peaked v-shaped lapel that attaches to the neckline collar. The shawl lapel is a one-piece collar which is turned down to form a continuous line around the back of the neck to the front.

Placement

The placement of the lapel has also varied widely over time. We see some small lapels placed ligh up on the jacket.

Size

We see some very small lapels.

Width

Lapels varied greatly in width. There has a been a constant cycle over time as lapel widths have increased or narrowed in width and recycled every conceivable width over time. A good example of wide lapels is an American boy, Joe Meyer, we think in the 1870s. Lapel widths can thus be used to help date photographs.

Jackets and Vests without Lapels

While lapels were a essential element of a man's suit jacket, some boys' jackets were made without lapels. his was the case of two very important styles. The cut-away and collar-buttoninhg jackets which appeadared in the mid-19th century were made without lapels. The collar-buttioning jackets almost by definition were done withouth lapels, alyjough some had collars. Although a few cut-away jackets had lapels, the great majority were sone wihhout laels. The cut-away jackets made for Little Lord Fauntleroy suits never had lapels. Collar buttoning jackets were widely worn in the late-19th century. We also note the Eton jackets worn by younger boys. The Mandarin and Nehru collar also did not have lapels, but they were not commonly worn by boys. While the lapel is primarily assoiciated with the suit jacket, we notice them sometimes being used on vests.








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Created: 5:11 AM 2/2/2009
Last updated: 5:57 PM 8/14/2021