The floppy bow was a style worn by adults at the turn of the 19th century. It was popular during the Regency in Britain where it was worn by Beau Brummel. I think it was less common in America. While our information is limited on the early, 19th century, photography by the mid-19th century provides us a great deal of information. Men and boys during the mid-19th century wore inconspicuous and usually black stocks. Boys often wore no neck wear at all. This began to change in the 1860s when we notice small bows replacing stocks. Collars continued to be fairly small in size. We notice mostly small bows in the 1870s which gradually grew larger as did collars. A good example is an unidentified Salem boy. A major change occurred in the 1880s. These bows by the 1880s and especially the 1890s grew markedly in size and by the late 1880s and 90s could be gigantic, sometimes almost dwarfing a small boy. This was of course part of the Fauntleroy craze. These large bows were very common. Not all boys wearing large collars wore bows with them, but many did and often the bows covered much of the front of the collar. Large collars and bows are a distinctive aspect of late-19th century boys wear. A good example is H. Harry Crowell in 1890. Not all boys had these large bows. We note the Kemp brothers who wear moderate-sized bows in 1898. The large floppy bows, however, were very common. Around the turn of the 20th century they began to fall in size.

The 1800s

The floppy bow was a style worn by adults at the turn of the 19th century. It was popular during the Regency in Britain where it was worn by Beau Brummel. I think it was less common in America.

The 1840s

While our information is limited on the early, 19th century, photography by the mid-19th century provides us a great deal of information. The Daguerreotype was invented in France during 1839 and studios almost immediately began appearing in America. There were studios by the end of the decade in every city of any size. Thus for the first time we have very detailed information on popular fashions. Men and boys during the mid-19th century wore inconspicuous and usually black stocks. Boys often wore no neck wear at all with very small white collars.

The 1850s

We continue to see boys wearing mostly small collars in the 1850s, often without neck wear in the 1850s. We see some bots wearing black stocks. The neck wear when worn also tended to be small in the 1850s. This followed the general trend that the size of the neck wear was in proportion to the size of the collars. Black was a common color for neck wear, in part because the black stock was so common with men. We see a few boys with large bows, but based on the photographic record this was unusual. The bow we note seem to be the type that lie down flat rather than the floppy bow type that kind of billow out which became so common in the 1880s. The few large bows we see seem more extensions of stocks than bows.

The 1860s

Neck wear trends began to change in the 1860s and with the introduction of CDVs we see much larger numbers of images so we can follow fashion much more easily. We still see stocks at the beginning of the decade. Boys continued to be impacted by adult neck wear styles. Cravats and stocks continued to worn. We do not see boys wearing cravats, but we do still see stocks. Some men wore neckties, but rarely boys. We begin to notice small bows replacing stocks in the 60s. Collars continued to be fairly small in size. This generally meant that the bows were also small in size. For some reason with all the diversity in collar size and style and bow sizes and styles, there was an unwritten rule that small bows went with small collars and large boys with large collars. We have noted some exceptions, but this was a widely followed convention throughout the 19th century. Boys often did not wear bows with the cut-away jackets that were popular for younger boys.

Figure 1.-- The trend of growing collars and bows was especially notable by the lae-1870s and early 80s. We are not entirely sure why these changes occurred. It may have been a European fashion influence, but we are not entirely sure about this.

The 1870s

The Industrial Revolution had kicked in (1870s and was reshaping American society. Mass production of cloth and ready made clothing propelled by the Civil War (1861-65) reached substantial levels in the 1870s. This meant not only that ready-made clothing was much more available and more importantly affordable (1870s). This mean that people including working-class people were able to dress better than ever before. But we do not yet see very the super-fancy outfits that would come in the 1880s. We begin to see fancy outfits in France by the late 1870s, but this was yet to impact American boys wear which were strongly influence by British fashion. This means that that children were being dressed notably better than ever before. And this included decorative touches like neck wear. We see different styles of neck wear, including bow ties, black string tie, ribbon, ties. We see more boys wearing bows in the 1870s than in the 60s. The bows that we see are increasing in size, but are still relatively small compared to what we are going to see at the end of the decade. And the cut-away jackets of the 60s became less common. We also notice mostly small bows in the 1870s which gradually grew larger as did collars. The trend of growing collars and bows was especially notable by the lae-1870s and early 80s. We are not entirely sure why these changes occurred. It may have been a European fashion influence, but we are not entirely sure about this. The bows tended to be rather subdued in the 1870s. A good example is the outfit worn by John Faulkes during the 1870s. John does not have a collar at all and his bow is very small, basically tiny. This was still very common in the 1870s. We note Gordon Bently wearing a simple flat bow (1879). The bright patterns were much more common in the 1880s and especially the 1890s. A good example is an unidentified Salem boy. Floppy bows were often worn with kilt suits. The kilt suit was a major style for younger boys. We don't see boys wearing floppy bows with dresses, presumably because girls also did not commonly wear them. The kilt suit was a different matter. We see many boys wearing floppy bows with the popular kilt suit, both with cutaway and other jackets and with blouses. Knee pants were just becoming universal for boys so we see some boys wearing floppy bows with long pants suits. It is not always possible to tell the difference between the 1870s and 80s, but the size of collars and bows is a good indicator, they tended to be much smaller in the 70s.

Figure 2.-- A major change occurred in the 1880s. The moderate size bows worn in the 1870s grew markedly in size and by the late-1880s and 90s could be gigantic, sometimes almost dwarfing a small boy. This was of course part of the Fauntleroy craze. This boy was from Daton, Ohio.

The 1880s

America by the 1880s was becoming the world's leading industrial power. And as a result Americans had become the most prosperous people on earth, in fact the most prosperous people in history. The result was mass immigration which had begun after the Civil War (1861-65). Immigration reached unprecedented levels by the 1880s. Men wore upstanding collars and folded-over collars. They were might be worn with a bow tie or four-in-hand tie. The string tie and ascot were also still in style. Men began buttoning suit jackets higher. This meant that there was less space for neck wear. As a result, ties began to sized smaller. That was the case for men. Boys were launched on a different track. Americans were experiencing untold prosperity. Families that came from small farms barely part of the monied economy were now living in solid city homes and earning salaries far beyond what they ever thought possible. Mothers who did not work with time and money on their hand energetically took to fashion. And this mean not only their dresses and their husband's suits, but also their children's clothes. And at just this time Mrs. Francis Hobson Burnett conceived of the Little Lord Fauntleroy story as a way of entertaining her children. She published the story in the newspapers (1885). It was an instant success. It was just the inspiration American mothers needed. Soon American boys were being outfitted in the most astonishing outfits boys had ever worn. long with the Fauntleroy suits, a major change occurred in boys neck wear. We still see modest-sized bows in the early-80s. A good example is the narrow ribbon bow worn by Frank Bigelow (1882). Even at mid-decade we still see rather moderate-sized bows. A good example are two unidentified brothers vacationing in Provincetown (1885). Floppy bows began to become popular and grow in size at mid-century. We note Harry B. Decker with a floppy bow, but not yet an enormous one. The small moderate size bows worn in the 1870s and early-80s grew markedly in size after Mrs Burnett published Little Lord Fauntleroy (1885). By the late-1880s and 1890s even gigantic bows were common, sometimes almost dwarfing the small boys we see wearing them. This was of course part of the Fauntleroy craze. Mrs. Burnett published Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1885. It was an immediate popular success, launching a virtual fashion arms race. And almost immediately, American mothers wanted to dress their sins like Mrs. Burnett's charming hero. The resulting Fauntleroy Craze was very much an American fashion development. The fancy velvet suits themselves had appeared in Europe during the 1870s. But the extremes of the Fauntleroy style were distinctly American. This included the wide age range of the boys wearing them, the ringlet curls, and the immense popularity was very much an American phenomenon. As curious as it may seem, the Fauntleroy suit was the first destinctly American boys style. And the popularity of the book in Europe helped spread the style there as well. The floppy bow was used to add a slash of color to the black or other dark colored velvet suits. Some mothers even added a bright-colored slash. These large bows were very common and not just worn with Fauntleroy suits. Many mothers added a fancy blouse and floppy bow to regular suits. Not all boys wearing large collars wore bows with them, but many did and often the bows covered much of the front of the collar. Large collars and bows are a distinctive aspect of late-19th century boys wear.

Figure 3.-- Floppy bows increased in popularity during the 1890s. It was in the 1890s that the floppy bow reached the peak of its popularity and prominence for boys' wear. The bright patterns like the one this boy from Johnstown, Pennsylvania wears were very popular.

The 1890s

America in the 1890s surpassed Britain and Germany as the world's leading industrial power. Unlike the European powes, the United States did not use its industrial power to build a poewrful military. Expanding industry and high wages attracted more and more immigrants reaching new highs sought eeking the good paying jobs offered by Amerrican industry. Prosperity in America cvaused a satorual arms race among American mothers who were determined to make their sons reflect the family success with larger and larger Fauntleroy inspired collars and floppy bows. The Fauntlrroy craze continued throughot the decade, but began to taper off slightly with the turn-of-the 20th century. Looking at these images younget the impression that these were rich kids. This was not the case although thevquaity of vthe outfitsdid vary by socialmclass. These outfits were adopted worn by a broad spectrum of American families throuhout the country. Floppy bows were an imprtant part of the Fauntleroy look. They became very popular as boys' neck wear during the 1880s. This continued into the 1890s. They were commonly worn throughout the decade. It was in the 1890s that the floppy bow reached the peak of its popularity and prominence for boys' wear. We see even more boys wearing them, and increasingly older boys including younger teens. T We notice every conceivable color and pattern and different sizes. Younger boys usually wore the largest sizes, at least in relative terms. We also see quite old boys with large bows. Floppy bows were worn both with Fauntleroy suits, kilt suits, and regular suits. It was also common to see them being worn during the summer with just a blouse without a suit jacket. Not all boys wore floppy bows with Gauntlreroy vollars, but they bwere very common. SAnd like the collars could be very latge. A good example of a boy with a large floppy bow and collar is H. Harry Crowell in 1890. Not all boys had these large bows. We note the Kemp brothers who wear moderate-sized bows in 1898. The large floppy bows, however, were very common. And we see floppy bows through the end of the decade. A good example is Percy Jackman in 1899. Around the turn of the 20th century they began to fall in size.

Created: 2:58 AM 8/10/2008
Last updated: 11:03 AM 9/25/2025