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The photographic record provides a wonderful record of fashion trends. We do not yet have family snapshots, but we have huge numbers of studio portraits. We see all kinds of head wear which was still important garments. Hats were still common, but we do see some caps as well. Little American boys still wore dresses and other skirted garments in the 1880s as had been dome for centuries. There was, however, a shift. We see fewer boys wearing dresses and more wearing kilt outfits. Kilt suits had become became increasingly popular. Sailor suits had also become popular. The major development in the 1880s was the appearance of the Little Lord Fauntleroy suits.. Fancy suits existed, but Mrs. Burnett book published at mid-decade generated a fashion sensation. We see both Fauntleroy suits as well as Fauntleroy trim to be worn with standard suits and other garments. Fancy velvet suits for boys appeared before the publication of the story in 1885, but the popularity exploded after the story appeared in print and on the stage. The result was a fashion arms race for little boys with mothers competed with how many ruffles and bows could he heaped on their sons. Lace and huge ruffled collars and bows soon increased greatly in size, virtually engulfing younger boys. Other styles such as Eton collars for older boys and sailor suits grew in popularity. We school-age boys wearing a variety of suits. Collar-buttoning suits were especially common. Norfolk suits were becoming increasingly popular. Cut-away jackets were mostly for Fauntleroy suit. We also see a range of lapel jacket suits. We see more boys wearing knee pants which were still cut well below the knee, but began to approach the knee by the end of the decade. Knee pants were mostly for younger boys at the beginning ofv the decade, but this had changed substantially by the end of the decade. American boys almost always wore knee pants with long stockings. It was consider immodest for boys above the toddler stage to wear socks. Of course boys in rural arras often went barefoot. Older boys wore long pants. Long pants were also more common in rural areas. High top shoes predominated footwear for both boys and girls.
We see all kinds of head wear which was still important garments. Hats were still common, but we do see some caps as well.
Little American boys still wore dresses and other skirted garments in the 1880s as had been dome for centuries. There was, however, a shift. We see fewer boys wearing dresses and more wearing kilt outfits. Kilt suits had become became increasingly popular.
Boys commonly wore suits in the 1880s. There were a range of different styles which we can see in the omage here (figure 1). Sailor suits bergan to appear. The major development in the 1880s, however, was the appearance of the Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. Fancy suits existed, but Mrs. Burnett book published at mid-decade generated a fashion sensation. We see both Fauntleroy suits as well as Fauntleroy trim to be worn with standard suits and other garments. Fancy velvet suits for boys appeared before the publication of the story in 1885, but the popularity exploded after the story appeared in print and on the stage. The result was a fashion arms race for little boys with mothers competed with how many ruffles and bows could he heaped on their sons. Lace and huge ruffled collars and bows soon increased greatly in size, virtually engulfing younger boys. Other styles such as Eton collars for older boys and sailor suits grew in popularity. We school-age boys wearing a variety of suits. Collar-buttoning suits were especially common. Norfolk suits were becoming increasingly popular. Cut-away jackets were mostly for Fauntleroy suit. We also see a range of lapel jacket suits.
We see more boys wearing knee pants which were still cut well below the knee, but began to approach the knee by the end of the decade. Knee pants were mostly for younger boys at the beginning ofv the decade, but this had changed substantially by the end of the decade.
American boys almost always wore knee pants with long stockings. It was consider immodest for boys above the toddler stage to wear socks.
Of course boys in rural arras often went barefoot. Older boys wore long pants. Long pants were also more common in rural areas. High top shoes predominated footwear for both boys and girls.
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