Figure 1.--This unidentified boy was photographed with his twin baby susters, probably in the 1890s. He looks to be about 7-8 years old. He wears a sailor jacket with a turtle-neck sweatr underneath. The cabinet card was taken by B. Nauschuetz in San Antonio, Texas. Notice their are buttons on both sides of the jacket. It was not actually made to be buttoned.

Another alernative to the standard middy blouse were sailor jacket. There were two basic types, cut-away jackets thast did nit buttion and jackets thast dud button. Many of these garments had buttons, like the boy here (figure 1), but were worn open, like the classic cut-away jacket Fauntleroy suits. The buttins could be deceiving. Just because there were buttons didn't mean that a jacket buttoned. The buttons were also used as a decorative element. The sailor jackets varied. There were several styles. They were not small like the Fauntleroy cut-away jacket. We notice some that were long and extended below the waist. These seem more like standard suit jackets. We use the term jackets. We are not sure what term was used in contemprary catalogs and fashion magazines. They may at the time been considered a blouse, but this seems to be an incorrect usage given the length of the garment and the way it was worn and the fact that shirt-like garments like blouses were worn under the jackets, at least the cutway hackets. We are not sure whar was worn under the strandard jackets. One alernative to the standard middy blouse were sailor jacket. The first basic type of sailor jacket was cut-away jackets that did not buttion. Many of these cut-away garments had buttons, like the boy here (figure 1), but were worn open, like the classic cut-away jacket Fauntleroy suits. The buttins could be deceiving. Just because there were buttons didn't mean that a jacket buttoned. The buttons were often used as a decorative element. These jackets vasried somewhat, more than the Fauntleroy cut-away jackets, probably because you see more of the sailor jackets. There were several styles. They were not small like the Fauntleroy cut-away jacket. Another alternative to the standard middy blouse sailor outfit were sailor jackets that buttoned up. These sailor jackets seen to have been prticularly popular around the turn-of-the 20th century, during the 1880s-1900s decades. We notive a variety of styles. We notice some that were long and extended below the waist. Some of the jackets that buttoned up were referred to as admiral jackets, although we do not yet have period refrences. (We note a Lane Bryant 1936 reference.) We notice this reference in American catalogs. This may have been the same in England. British Admirals around the time of Napoleon wore jackets that are similar. We have begun to collect catalogs, but often they are only labeled sailor suits without going into detail. Some do specify admiralty jackets. We note many variations of these jackets. Many of these button-up middy blouses were worn with standard dickies given the V-collars.

Comparable to Suit Jackets

Sailor jackets seem more like standard suit jackets. We use the term jackets. We are not sure what term was used in contemprary catalogs and fashion magazines. They may at the time been considered a blouse, but this seems to be an incorrect usage given the length of the garment and the way it was worn and the fact that shirt-like garments like blouses were woorn under the jackets, at least the cutway hackets. We are not sure whar was worn under the strandard jackets.

Cut-away Jackets

One alernative to the standard middy blouse were sailor jacket. The first basic type of sailor jacket was cut-away jackets that did not buttion. Many of these cut-away garments had buttons, like the boy here (figure 1), but were worn open, like the classic cut-away jacket Fauntleroy suits. The buttins could be deceiving. Just because there were buttons didn't mean that a jacket buttoned. The buttons were often used as a decorative element. These jackets vasried somewhat, more than the Fauntleroy cut-away jackets, probably because you see more of the sailor jackets. There were several styles. They were not small like the Fauntleroy cut-away jacket. A good example is an unidentified English boy about 1900. We see these jackets in America, England, France, Germany, Italy, and other countries. Unlike standard sailor suits, these cut-away jackets were not dorn with dickies. We note a wide range of garments worn with these jackets. The boy here, fir example is wearing a sweater. But that was not common. We primarily see boys waering Fauntleroy blouses, but there were other garments, including swaters, tunics/Russiasn blouses, and other garments especially made to match the detailing on the jacket.

Buttoned Jackets

Another alternative to the standard middy blouse sailor outfit were sailor jackets that buttoned up. These sailor jackets seen to have been prticularly popular around the turn-of-the 20th century, during the 1880s-1900s decades. We notive a variety of styles. We notice some that were long and extended below the waist. Some of the jackets that buttoned up were referred to as admiral jackets, although we do not yet have period refrences. (We note a Lane Bryant 1936 reference.) We notice this reference in American catalogs. This may have been the same in England. British Admirals around the time of Napoleon wore jackets that are similar. We have begun to collect catalogs, but often they are only labeled sailor suits without going into detail. Some do specify admiralty jackets. We note many variations of these jackets. Many of these button-up middy blouses were worn with standard dickies given the V-collars.

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Created: 6:10 AM 1/12/2010
Last updated: 10:14 PM 3/8/2023