Figure 1.--Here Vivian wears a sailor suit, probanly about 1893. Te boys much preferred sailor suits to their Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. Vivian recalled his sailor suit as an adult many years later.

We have some idea as to how they wre dressed from available portraits. They seem to have been dressed very fashionably, apparrently in matching or similar outfits. Presumably the boys first wore dresses. We are unsure when they were breached. They appear to be wearing kneepants by about age 5 years. Usually mothers selected the clothes of younger children. We are not sure to what extent their father was involved in choosing their clothing. We know that he was interested in fashion and known to wear velvet suits with knickers for his lectures. We note satin cavalier outfits, Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and other outfits. HBC has a number of pages on English children in the late 19th century. HBC can compare their clothing with that of the Wilde children.

Fashionable Clothes

The Wilde boysy seem to have been dressed very fashionably, apparrently in matching or similar outfits.

Selection

Usually mothers selected the clothes of younger children. We are not sure to what extent their father was involved in choosing their clothing. We know that he was interested in fashion and known to wear velvet suits with knickers fir his lectures.

Garments

We have some idea as to how they wre dressed from available portraits. Available portraits show the boys wearing quite a range of different outfits. We note satin cavalier outfits, Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and other outfits. One portrait shows Curil at age 6 wearing what looks like a satin cavalier outfit with large pin-on lace collar. I'm not sure what color it was or if Vivian had a similar suit. Photographs show them wearing their velvet Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. Noitice that both the suits and collars are cut differently. We do not know if the boys were dressed in identical outfits, but they were clearly dressed in similar outfits. While their father apparently liked velvet suits, the boys were much less enamored of them. They much preferred their sailor suits (figure 1). Indeed, Vivian as an adult , remembered his favorite sailor suit. He wrote, "Not an ordinary children's sailor suit either but a suit made of real naval cloth by a naval tailor with a black silk scarf and a knife at the end of a lanyard." We always thought that there was a whistle on those lanyards. The boys also wore berets and blouses with large collars.

Contemporary English Children

HBC has a number of pages on English children in the late 19th century. HBC can compare their clothing with that of the Wilde children. A good example of Aristicratic children is the Robartes family. Another good example is the Llewellyn-Davies family. These boys wore large berets like the Wilde boys. Another good exa,ple is the Sassoon family.

Sources

Holland, Merlin. A Wilde Album.

Created: 5:48 AM 8/18/2004
Last updated: 5:48 AM 8/18/2004