Figure 1.--This is one of the many different styilized sailor suits worn by English boys in the late 19th century. This Birmingham boy was probably photographed in the 1880s, but the portrait is undated. Note the detachable collar that has been added.

The initial English sailor suits for boys had traditional styling meaning they were minature reproduction od the uniforms weorn by Royal Nasvy enlisted men. As the style began to become a popular style for boys a variety of more styilized creations appeared in the late 19th century. Many diverged significantly from traditionl styling, but for the most part were instantly recognizable as sailor suits. These more creative versions came in many different styles. Designers also played with the standard blue and white colors, but this is difficult to onserve in the black and white photography of te day. Some retained the "V" front and back flap, but some even played with these basic sailor features. Traditional styling never disappeared and gradually by the turn of the 20th century was the dominant style. Thus in the 20th century most English sailor suits were made with traditional styling.

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Created: 12:07 AM 2/10/2007
Last updated: 2:22 AM 2/10/2007