Figure 1.-- This boy looks to be about 5 years old with his teddy bear. He wears a white sailor suit with dark stiping on the collar and cuffs and a plain middy at the neck. He wears long black stockings. Note the boy's glasses. I think this photograph was taken about 1922.

Sailor suits were very popular in America as in Europe. The age conventions were, however, more commonly worn by younger boys in America. We rarely see teenage boys wearing sailor suits in America as was fairly common in Germany. We tend to sse more boys weating sailor suits than in England where fewer boys wore sailor suits beyond the are of beginning boarding school, about 8 years of age. Age conventions in America varied chronologically and by siocial class. We note boys commonly wearing sailor suits during the 19th century, especially the 1880s-90s. We see sailors suits made in sizes up to about 12-13 years of age. The older boys wearing them, however seem primarily from well-to-do families. Working-class boys were less likely to wear sailor suits, especially older boys. HBC has not yet fully assessed the ages from available catalogs. but believes that sailor suits in America were rearely made for boys older than 11 or perhaps 12 years of age. we have noted older boys in Europe wearing them. This subject should be relatively easy to research because catalogs like Wards and Sears as well as other companies normally indicated ages. We are working on a catalog section for HBC and will use this to develop this section.

Conventions

Age conventions in America varied chronologically and by siocial class. We note boys commonly wearing sailor suits during the 19th century, especially the 1880s-90s. We see sailors suits made in sizes up to about 12-13 years of age. The older boys wearing them, however seem primarily from well-to-do families. Working-class boys were less likely to wear sailor suits, especially older boys. Many family portraits show the younger boys in the family wearing sailor suits. This not only meant the pre-teen boys, but the younger boys, usally about 10 years old or less. This varied from family to family. Sailor suits were also common during the early 20th century. They were widely worn after World War I in the 1920s ads 30s, but mostly by younger boys.

Chronological Age Trends

Sailor suit age trends varied chronologically. At forst they were mostly for ypunger vboys, bit younger teens might wear them in the 1890s. Here American trends were more similar to Britain than France and Germany. We are construting chrinological pages on age trends. Here we can use both the extensive photographic recor and mail order catalogs to buil these pages. We have a page on 1900s trends.

Chronological Years

HBC has not yet fully assessed the ages from available catalogs. but believes that sailor suits in America were rearely made for boys older than 11 or perhaps 12 years of age. we have noted older boys in Europe wearing them. This subject should be relatively easy to research because catalogs like Wards and Sears as well as other companies normally indicated ages. We are working on a catalog section for HBC and will use this to develop this section. Our initial impression is that sailor suits were most common for children about 4-10 years of age. Sailor suits were one of the most popular styles for boys this age. This of course varied somewhat over time.

Other Related HBC Pages:
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Created: May 27, 2004
Last updated: 10:08 AM 4/3/2014