Figure 1.--This english caninet card shows an unidentified boy with a toy sailboat. The dealer indicated a date of 1891. We are not sure how he arrived at that. The studio was skillman in Richmond near London.

We are just beginning our assessment of English blouses and do not yet have a great deal of information. It is a difficult subject to assess because blouses are often covered up by jackets or other tops of some kind. The most common boy's blouse style in England was of course the sailor-styled middy blouse. The sailor style became one of the most important boys' style in fashion history. Although it was even more important in Europe than Britain. We also notice younger boys wearing fancy blouses trimed in lace and/or ruffles in a variety of different styles. We notice Fauntleroy blouses in the late-19th and early-20th century. In the late-19th century these were one of the suit styles younger boys wore. We do notsee as many Fauntleroy blouses in England as in America. Nor do we see blouses as fancynas the American blouses. As the Fauntleroy styled declined, it became a style for formal occassions like weddings. The boy seen on the previous page was probably a member of a wedding party. The Richmond boy here wears a Fauntleroy blouse with a huge collar as well as a fanny placket or front (figure 1). Eton blouses were not very commopn. Eton collars were detachable collars and thus not generally done as blouses at least until the blouses with small Eton-styled blouses appdeared in the mid-20th century. Another style were Peter Pan collars. We notice some younger boys wearing blouses with Peter Pan collars., but the term was not used until the 20th century.

Difficulties

We are just beginning our assessment of English blouses and do not yet have a great deal of information. It is a difficult subject to assess because blouses are often covered up by jackets or other tops of some kind.

Gender

Unlike today, the blouse was not seen as duistinctly girl's top style. Some blouse styles were worn by both boys and girls.

Specific Styles

There were several different blouse styles worn by boys. The style to asubstantial degree was determined by the collar. The most common boy's blouse style in England was of course the sailor-styled middy blouse. The sailor style became one of the most important boys' style in fashion history. Although it was even more important in Europe than Britain. The sailor style became one of the most important boys' style in fashion history. Although it was even more important in Europe than Britain.The most common boy's blouse style in England was of course the sailor-styled middy blouse. The two basic sailor suit garments were the middy blouse and trousers. No garment more epitomized the sailor style than the classic "V"-front middy blouse.We also notice younger boys wearing fancy blouses trimed in lace and/or ruffles in a variety of different styles. We notice Fauntleroy blouses in the late-19th and early-20th century. In the late-19th century these were one of the suit styles younger boys wore. We do notsee as many Fauntleroy blouses in England as in America. Nor do we see blouses as fancynas the American blouses. As the Fauntleroy styled declined, it became a style for formal occassions like weddings. The boy seen on the previous page was probably a member of a wedding party. The Richmond boy here wears a Fauntleroy blouse with a huge collar as well as a fanny placket or front (figure 1). Eton blouses were not very commopn. Eton collars were detachable collars and thus not generally done as blouses at least until the blouses with small Eton-styled blouses appdeared in the mid-20th century. This was not a style commonly worn. Blouses went out of style for boys. We see some, mostly for prepschool boys sold in botique shops. They were worn by younger boys for formal affairs like weddings. Another blouse style were Peter Pan collars. We notice some younger boys wearing blouses with Peter Pan collars., but the term was not used until the 20th century. We see Peter Pan collars in the 19th century, but they were only called Peter Pans in the 20th cebtury. Some like Etins were also detachable collars.

Sailor blouses

The sailor style became one of the most important boys' style in fashion history. Although it was even more important in Europe than Britain.The most common boy's blouse style in England was of course the sailor-styled middy blouse. The two basic sailor suit garments were the middy blouse and trousers. No garment more epitomized the sailor style than the classic "V"-front middy blouse. Middy blouses were primarily pull-over garments, but we also note button-up topss. This included both blouses and garments that look more like jackets than blouses. Of course the classic middy blouse is a pull-over garment with a "V"-front collar and back flap. Traditionally middy blouses were detailed with stripes, but this was not always the case. They were based on the Royal Navy uniforms. Some diverged from the traditional uniform suit, but the great bulk of these blouses were based on Royal Navy styles or were stronly influenced by it. We note other collars as well, bit they were not nearly as common as the traditional uniform styles. Some middy blouses had pointed collars. We also notice middy blouses without collars, but a a square neck opening. This was a more casual, summer style. Middy blouses were mostly done in blue and white, but there were other colors. Middy blouses were worn by both boys and girls.

Fauntleroy blouses

Until the 20th century, we see fashion crossing the Atlantic from east to west. This was the origin, for, example, of the sailor suit, a boy's fashion staple for a century. Americans followed European fashion trends. England and France were the primary fashion arbiters. The Little Lord Fauntleroy suit was an American fashion, although Mrs. Burnett who was responsible for the creation was born in England. It was in fact the first fashion creation to cross the Atlantic from west to east. The Fauntleroy blouse was an important part of the Fauntleroy craze which appeared with the publication of Mrs. Burnetts popular story. So we begin to see younger boys wearing fancy blouses trimmed in lace and/or ruffles in a variety of different styles. We notice Fauntleroy blouses in the late-19th and early-20th century. Which means that the entire fashion history of the Fauntleroy Craze was captured by photography. In the late-19th century these were one of the important suit styles younger boys wore, especially boys from affluent families. (In America, the social-class spectrum was much broader.). We do not see as many Fauntleroy blouses in England as in America. This is because while important, the Fauntleroy Craze was not as important in Britain as it was in America. We are not sure just why that was. We suspect that one factor was American were more affluent than Europeans which is an important part of the reason that to many Europeans were migrating to America. Notably, England/Britain was the most affluent country in Europe which is perhaps why England was the European country most impacted by the Fauntleroy Craze. Another reason we see fewer Fauntleroy blouses in England is that many Fauntleroy suits. were not the classic velvet cut-away jackets designed to show off fancy blouses, but rather collar-buttoning jackets with lace or other fancy collars and cuffs pinned on. Note that even here, the boy is not wearing the classic jacket, but only a standard double-breasted jacket left open (figure 1). Nor do we see blouses as fancy as the American blouses. We see more lace being used in England than America where most Fauntleroy outfits involved ruffled collars. The Richmond boy here wears a Fauntleroy blouse with a huge collar as well as a fanny placket or front (figure 1). While the blouse here is fancy, it is not nearly as fancy as some American Fauntleroy blouses which in some cases seem to nearly engulf the boy. As the Fauntleroy styled declined, it became a style for formal occasions like weddings. The boy seen on the previous page was probably a member of a wedding party. Also different than America, English boys were less likely to wear large floppy bows with their Fauntleroy blouses. Some blouse types were worn by boys and girls. The English Fauntleroy blouse, however, as in America was strictly for boys. This is interesting because one might have guessed that it was the Fauntleroy blouse rather than the sailor blouse hat was more suitable for girls.

Eton blouses

Eton blouses were not very commopn. Eton collars were detachable collars and thus not generally done as blouses at least until the blouses with small Eton-styled blouses appdeared in the mid-20th century. This was not a style commonly worn. Blouses went out of style for boys. We see some, mostly for prepschool boys sold in botique shops. They were worn by younger boys for formal affairs like weddings.

Peter Pan blouses

Another blouse style were Peter Pan collars. We notice some younger boys wearing blouses with Peter Pan collars., but the term was not used until the 20th century. We see Peter Pan collars in the 19th century, but they were only called Peter Pans in the 20th cebtury. Some like Etons were also detachable collars.

Created: 8:30 PM 1/18/2023
Last updated: 10:48 AM 10/20/2024