Figure 1.--These children were almost surely siblings. Notice the strict age grading of the boys' outfits. The youngest boy wears a simple dress. The middle boy wears a cut-away jacket, and the oldest boy wears a collar-buttoning jacket. Hair styling is also used. The younger boys have bangs. The two older boys have a hair style with a part. The portrait here is undated but was probably taken in the 1870s.

In contrast to identical outfits, another popular fashion convention for children, some parents (mostly mothers) took an age-graded approach. Age grading was adopted in many other countries, but seems especially popular in America. There were different approaches here. Many mothers focused exclusively on clothing. Many age-associated clothing conventions have varied over time, as well as the popularity of age-graded clothing itself. Thus, we see families with several children wearing garments that have been altered to some extent, varying by the child's age. Sometimes the variations are minor, such as just changing the collar and/or neckwear. This was particularly popular in the late 19th and very early 20th century when floppy bows and large collars were stylish. This also made it very easy to add or remove age-grading touches as the child grew older. Others are more significant, such as varying the type of shirt/blouse and trousers. We have age grading discussions on many of the specific garment pages. Clothing was not the only element in age grading. Hair styling was also employed. Some mothers used clothing items and others hair styles. And others used both clothing and hairstyles. This was largely determined by each mothers imdividual fashion sense.

Popular American Convention

In contrast to identical outfits, another popular fashion convention for children, some parents (mostly mothers) took an age-grading approach. Age grading was adopted in many other countries, but it seems especially popular in America. We suspect a factor here was the relative affluence of America. Many American mothers had the money to spend on their children’s clothing, more than in Europe.

Clothing

There were different approaches to age grading using clothing. Many mothers focused exclusively on clothing. Many age-associated clothing conventions have varied over time, as well as the popularity of age-graded clothing itself. This varied with the size of the family. Thus we see families with several children altering the outfits to some extent, varying by the child's age. Sometimes the variations are minor, such as just changing the collar and/or neckwear. This was particularly popular in the late-19th and very early 20th century when floppy bows and large collars were stylish. Here, minor variations could be employed for each child in a large family. This also made it very easy to add or remove age-grading touches as the child advanced in age. Others are more significant, such as varying the type of shirt/blouse and trousers. Younger boys might wear blouses with stylish, sometimes very large collars. Younger boys might wear various skirted garments. boys also from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, commonly wore shortened-length pants, including knee pants, knickers, and short pants. We have age grading discussions on many of the specific garment pages and will link those pages here.

Hair Styling

Clothing was not the only element in age grading. Hair styling was also used. Some mothers used clothing items and others hair styles. As different hair styles had age connotations at any given point in time, we notice hair styles as well as clothing being commonly used for age grading. This was a common practice in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Often mothers employed both hair and clothing styles to complement the ages of their boys. This practice often continued into a boy's mid-teens, when boys began to choose their own clothes and hair styling or at least have some say in the choices. and hair styles. Hair styling in age grading was most pronounced in the late-19th century. This was because age grading was most common during this period and the clothing styles for younger boys were particularly distinctive. By the same token, there were some very elaborate hairstyles for younger boys. Some approaches may seem a little strange to our modern eyes. We note some younger boys in the mid-19th century dressed in rather mature suits, but with juvenile hair styles. We note boys in the late-19th century with both juvenile clothing and hair styling. Age grading continued into the 20th century, but with less distinctive outfits and hair styles.

Mixed Approaches

Some mothers used both clothing and hairstyles. A major covention in thev19th century was tyo dress younger boys in skirted garments. This reached its peak during the Fauntleroy Craze (about 1885-1905). This meant that mothers could adopt some of the most elaborate clothing and hair styles. The most elaborate version was the classic Fauntleroy suit with ringlet curls. Most boys wearing Funtleroy suits did not have ringlet curls. And not all boys with ringlet curls wore Fauntleroy suits. The Fauntleroy suit was the most elaborate outfit for boys, but there were a wide range of other juvenile outfits like kilt suits, sailor suits, Oliver Twist suits and more modern outfits like junior Eton suits, shortalls, button-on blouse ensembles, and other outfits. We begin to see boys beginning to wear shortened-length pants eventually: knee pants, knickers, and short pants (mid-19th century). This could be with fancy suits or regular-style suits. While ringlets were the most elaborate hairstyle we see, but we also see other hairstyles like bangs done as Dutch boy or page boy cuts, as well as curls of various lengths. All of this was done in a wide range of mixes.

Family Conventions

The approaches selected varied widely from family to family. There does not seem to have been any standard American approach here. This was largely determined by each mother's fashion sense. Of course this was in part influenced by her family experiences as a little girl and advise by female family mothers.

Chronological Trends

Boys and men basically wore the same styles through the 18th century. The primary differences were social class. We see huge differences between the aristocracy, middle class, and peasantry. This began to change in the 19th century, in part because of the rising affluence of the middle class and working classes and in part because of the declining relative cost of clothing. Age was not vey important because children were seen essentially as small adults. With the increasing recognition that childhood was a special time of life and that children had special needs, we begin to see the development of dedicated boys' styles with the skeleton suit (1800s), we begin to see the idea of age grading appearing, especially in the second half of the century. Age grading became a well-established convention, although the styles involved and the conventions practiced varied substantially over time. Thus we see a range of different garments being used for age grading. They have included headwear, collars, bows, jacket styles, skirted garments, pants type and length, pants suspension hosiery, and footwear.

Age Trends

Social Class

Social class was definitely a factor in age grading. A reader writes, "I think that a sign of wealth was allowing a child to look more juvenile for longer periods. There is a quote from the mother of one of the Johnson & Johnson heirs and how she was able to keep her son in velvet suits until age 13." We think this was especially true in the late-19th century when America's expanding industrial economy was generating enormous wealth and newly affluent families wanted to show off their new circumstances. This continued to be the case in the early 20th century, but this association is not necessarily the standard approach of the well-to-do in America and other countries.

Created: 12:36 AM 6/25/2008
Last updated: 5:24 PM 11/12/2026