Suit styles have in part varied by age. Boys at different ages have worn quite a range of suits and the styles and conventioins have varied over time. There have been many different styles and types of suits for boys of different ages. This included both jacket and pants styles. These styles have changed over time as well as the age groups that wore them. The basic pattern is that boys as they grew older wanted to wear styles similar to the styles worn by adult men. Over time the conventions have varied. At times men and boys wore essentially the same styles. At other time there were substantial differences between the suits worn by men and boys. The pattern here was not only chronological, but varied among counties as well as social class. Countries trends are complicated. Social class conventions are more straight forward. Working-class boys often left school early and when they did they commonly began dressing like their fathers. Middle-class boys were more likely to stay in school longer and to wear juvenile styles.

Age 3

We do not have a lot of information about 3-year olds in the early 19th century, but believe that many were not yet breeched. The same was true of the mid-19th century, but we have more information because of the invention of photography. The 3-year olds that were breeched might wear blouses or tunics. Many boys at age 3 in the late 19th century still were not breeched. They continued wearing dresses or in the 1870s the kilt suit was introiduced as a popular style for little boys. A major change was the appearance of the Fauntleroy suit in the 1880s. Some mothers fashioned Fauntleroy tunic suits or drsses with Fauntleroy trim. But many mothers were so enchanted with the stylecthat thaey purchased Fauntleroy suits with knee pants at age 3 when normally they might have keot their sin in dresses or kilt suits.

Figure 4.--All we know about this boy was that he was from Hardwick, Vermont. He wears a kilt suit, probably in the 1880s. We would guess that he was about 4 years old. Kilt suits were a very popular style for pre-school boys at the time.

Age 4

Younger boys wore dresses in the 19th cebntury. By age 4 yers, sone, byr not all bots were breched nd had begun wearing suits. Suits worn by 4 year olds during the 19th century could vary considerable. This reflected the fact that many 4-year olds were not yet breeched. In the early-219th century boys wore lon pants skeleton suits. We also see tunic suits with long pants. Our informtion is limited in the early-19th century becuse we do not have photoigraohy until the 1840s. Ans what we see in the ealy photographs is often boys wearung long patterned, tunic like shirts rthers tyab sduits. By mid-century, kilt suits appeared which many boys wore insteas of pants suits. Boys in the early and mid-19th century did not wear suits at age 4. Cut-away jackets were very popular in the 1860s and 70s, but you don't see many 4-year olds weaing them. Many still wore dresses. They generally wore dresses. This began to change with the advent of the kilt suit in the 1870s. Kilt suits were an extremely popular style for pre-school boys in the late-19th centuty. Fauntleroy suits were very popular for 4-year olds in the late-19th century and here we do see these younger boys wearing cut-away jackets.. They were worn with both kilt-skirts and knee pants. Some boys wore them with ringlet curls. We see many boys this age wearing tunic suits in the early 20th century. Sailor suits wete also popular. Junior Eton suits were popular choice when dressing up. Many boys this age wore short pants suits when older boys wote knicker or long pants suits. Knickers negan to decline in the late-1930s. Boys mostly wore short pants or long pants in the 1940s. Short opnbts suits began to declin in popukrity during the 1950s. We see far few in the 60s, but by this time suits in genral were going out of style.

Figure 5.--Many American boys at age 5 wore classic cut-away Fauntleroy suits with knee pasnts in the late-19th century.

Age 5

As far as we can tell, oitfits for 4 anbd 5-year old boys were very similar,. The basic diffeence in the 19th century was that more 5-year olds were breeched. Pronbly more than half the 5-year olds were nreeched. American boys in the 19th century often did not yet have modern sack suits, especially during the early and mid-19th century. We do see skeletin and tunic suits, both worn with long pants. These wouls hve been boys from fashionble, comfortabke fmilies. The lack of photograpoht mkes it difficult to assesssuit trends. One photograohy appears 9840s), we do not see many suits. This was in poart many boys were not yet breeched. The age of breeching varied from family to family. Many families breeched boys by about age 5 years. Although some boys wre not breeched until later. Boys in the early part of the century that were not breeched wore dresses rather than suits. Younger boys that were breeched over wore blouses or tunics rather than suits. This began to change agter the Civil wa. We think expanding properity was a factor. We see many more boys weaing suits and have one's potrait taken without a suit became less common. Some boys were not yet breeched and thus wore dresses rather thah suits. When photography appeared what we odten see id boys wearing long, paterbed, tunic like shirts. This does not ppear to be fashionble, but rther an evcinomic phenomnenon. Suiys were expensive, a long shirt lkess so. This was very common at mid century (1840s-50s). We begin to see more suits (1860s). We beieve what was at play was the invreasing industrikizatuin nbd porosperity in Anerica. A popular suit type for younger boys became the kilt suit which became common in the 1870s. This was a suit that could be worn by unbreeched boys. The Fauntleroy suit was another popular syle for younger boys in the late 19th century. Boys very commonly wore suits in the 19th century, but we also see boys only wearing blouses, such as Clayton Reitz in the 1890s. We note many 5-year olds wearing tunic suits. A popular choice in the mid-20th century was the junior Eton suit.

Age 6

Age 6 years is a turning point in boy's life. TYhis is becuse 6 was the sage that boys generally began school. pre-schools were not yet commom. America and germany led the way in public eduction. Thus more boys in Aerica abd Germany attnded school thn in other countries. And this genberally begn at age 6 years. Most boys were breeched by age 6 years and those whi had not yet been beeched were before they began school. By age 6, most boys who were not beeched were boys from weathly fanilies being tutored at home. The early ophotograophic record is difficult to assess becuse there was no photograohy. Comfortable fmilies might dress boys in tunic suits or skeleton suits. This is clear from the photogrphic record. School photograpohy became common in the late 19th century, so this pattern is notable clear. Not all boys got suits which were expensive when they turned 6 years. We see a lot of boys wearing plain parerned shirts when photograohy firsta ppeared at mid-century. This appears to have been a financial matter. Suits were expensive. The suits worn by 6-year olds have vaired substantially over time. We see 6 year olds wearing fancy suits with bloomer knickers at mid-century. But there was considerable variation. Most 6 year olds were breeched. One reason for this was school attendance. Age 6 became the standard age for beginning the 1st grde of The public schools. American education system was just developing in the early 19th century. Many boys at 6 years of age were taught at home. This meant that mothers had considerable lattitude as to how boys were dressed and how their hair was done. Some boys at age 6 were not even breeched and might have long curls. Boys that were sent to school at age 6 normally were breeched and had their hair cut. Thus the development of the public schools had the affect of standardizing clothing and hair sytles. And by the 1890s, most children were attending the public schools, especially in urban areas. Most 6 year olds wore knee pants in the secoind half of the 20th century. This continued into the 20th century, but by the 1910s we mostly see knicker suits. After World War II we see 6 year olds wearing both knicker and short pants suits. Junior Eton suits, usully with short pants were popular for 6 year olds. Long pants became common for boys in the 1950s, but we still see quite a number of 6-year olds wearinmg short pants suits. This coninued into the 1960s with more and more boys were wearing long pants suits. And by the 1970s fewer boys were waring suits. We see some boys wearing bests rather thn suit jackjets. Those boys wearing short pants suits, mostly wore the junior Eton suits. This was, hoeever, becoming a style for pre-school boys. By the 21st century, short pants suits were not common, but boys' suits in general were no longer very common.

Figure 7.--This oval framed portrait shows a boy dressed in a sailo tunic suit. The portrait was taken by the Carhart Studio, but the city is not identified. We know that the boy was Oliver P. Moser who was 7 years old.

Age 7

Almost all boys were breeched and wearing suits by age 7. Kilt suits were not unknown, but becoming muvch less common at this age. We seem some boys wearing fancy suits like Fauntleroy suits in the late-19th century. Sailor suits were a popular choice in the lare-19th and early-20th century. We note boys wearing cut-away jacket suits in the 1860s and 70s. Age 7 for most children is the second year of school which is a factor in how they were dressed. Boys in First Grade generally accepted what mother chose. By 2nd-grade they were beginning to bcome a little more wordly wise and began to express their ideas on the subject. We see a few boys this age wearing the tunic suits that were popular in the early-20th century. Many American boys wore suits to school until the 1930s. Collar-buttoning suits were popular for younger boys in the late-19th century. Norfolk suits were a popular choice in the early 20th century, usually with knee pants or knickers. We see boys this age wearing junior Eton suits during the mid-20th centuiry when dressing up. After World War II we see fewer boys wearing suits. Age 7 became a kind of mixed age. Some boys wore short pants suits. Other boys this age wore the more adult-looking long-pants suits that the older boys wore.

Age 8

We do not have much information on 8-year olds in the early 19th century. Some boys may have worn knee breeches, but long pants soon became standard for boys of all ages. This continued until mid-century. And thanks to photography we can follow this in some detail. After mid-century, especially by the 1860s, we begin to see younger boys wearing shortened-length pants. Long pants also continued to be worn by many boys of all ages. We see many boys at age 8 wearing cut-away jacket suits in the 1860s, some with knee pants and others with long pants. It was less common for older boys to wear shortened-length pants. This began to change in the 1870s with more younger boys boys wearing knee pants. We see a range of suits including both collar-buttoning suits and lapel suits. Sailor suits had become popular.By the 1880s, knee pants had become standard for boys up to about 10 years of age. Fauntleroy suits were usually worn by younger boys, but 8-year olds did wear Fauntleroy blouses and suits with Fauntleroy trim. The age conventions gradually increased and by the late-1890s even teenagers were wearing knee pants, except in rural areas. Knee pants were, however, virtually universal for 8-year olds. This continued until the late1900s decade. It is at this time American boys suddenly began wearing knickers. Younger boys up to about age 8 might wear knee pants in the 1910s, but mostly boys switched to knicker suits. We begin to see short pants suits (1920s). Most 8-year olds wore either knicker or short pants suits. This began to change in the 1930s, by the end of the decade knickers began going out of style and even younger boys were beginning to wear long pants suits. We see both short and long pants suits in the 1940s and 50s, but long pants were becoming the dominant pants type by the 1960s. Short pants suits were only common for pre-school boys by the 19790s. By the 1980s we mostly see long pants suits even for younger boys, but by this time dress had become so casual that suits were becoming less-and-less common.

Age 9

Figure 10.--This portrait is unidentified. The boy looks about 10 years old. Kneesocks were less common in America than Europe, especially by the 1940s.

Age 10

Age 10 seems to have been a variable age for suits. Most 10 year olds wore long pants suits in the 19th century. Boys in the early decadeds might wear skeleton suits. We note 10 year olds wearing suits as well as blouses with long pants at mid-century. Cut-away jackets were popular at mid-century. Only in the 1880s do we see some 10 year olds wearing kneepants suits. Some 10-year olds wore Faunteroy suits, but they were more popular for younger boys. Many 10-year olds wore syuits with Fauntleroy collars and floppy bows. At the turn-of the-20th century most boys wore knee pants suits with long stockings, During the summer they might wear just blouses with large bows. Knicker suits became popular in the 1910s. After World War I, English styled short pants suits appeared in America. Most boys preferred knicker suits. Shoet pants suits were popular for more affluent families with European connections. Age 10 was the upper age for American Eton suits.

Age 11

Figure 12.--Most school-age boys wore knickers in the 1920s, commonly with long stockings. This boy standing in front of his home looks to be about 12 year old. Even younger teenagers wore knicker suits in the 1920s.

Age 12

We are not entirely sure about suits worn by 12 year old boys in the early 19th century. At mid-century 12 year olds commonly wore blouse abnd long trousers. We see some boys wearing suits, but the jacket and pants commonly did not match. Vests were very popular. Knee pants began to become popular in the 1860s, but mostly for younger boys. We do not see 12 years olds commonly wearing them until the 1880s and even then many boys that ahe wore long trousers, especially in rural areas. In the 1890s 12 years olds very commonly wire knee pants suits. Only a few boys that age wore Fauntleroy suits, but quite a few wore sandard sits with Fauntleoy trim ad floppy bows added. Most 12 year olds wore knee pants suits in the 1900s, but knicker suits were more common in the 1910s. Most 12year olds in the 1920s wore knicker suits in the 1920s. Knickers suits were also common in the 30s, but we also see boys wearing long pnts suits. After World War II, some 12 year olds wore short oants suits, but knicker suits both single and double breasted were much more common. By the 1930s, 12 year olds weewearing both knicker and long pants suits, but by the 1940s most were wearing long pants suits. Wearing suits bega to decline in popularity by the 1960s in a more casual era.

Age 13

Age 13 years isa kind of in betweem age. It is the first teen age, but still very boyosh. This has changed at bit in the 20th century as better diet has sdvanced the age of punerty. We are not enyirely sure about the age range of early suits, namely skeleton and tunic suits in the early-19th century. This was all with long pants. Actully, boys were the first to wear long pants. At the turn of the 19th century, fashions for men involved suits with knee breeches. Only by the 1820s did long pnts become standrd for fashionble men. At abuit 13 years, parents parents began thinking about note adult-styled suits for boys. But we are not entirely sure because wihout photogrphy the vilsble imgery is very limited. At mid-century with the appearnce of photography we have much clearer ideas about children fashions. At first the numbers of images were fairly limited, but with the 1860s abd the CDV we have countless images to work with. We behin to see older boys wearing sack suits, different from adults who at mid-centiry were wearing frock suits with longer jackets. At first 13 year olds and even wore long pants. Yongrer boys by the 1860s began wearing knee pants. At first it was just very young boys, but as the decade progressed he age range gradually inccreased. By the late-1880s we begin to see teen agers beginning to wear knee pants. It still varied fom family to family, but by the 1870s we see even older teenagers wearing knee pants suits. This continued into the 20th century, but by the 12910, boiy were wearing knickers rather than knee pants. Some 13 year old wore short pants suits in the 1920s and 30s, but it was not very common. Here there was a social class factor. By the 1950s, shoirt pants suits were or younger boys. We only see 13-year olds wearing long pants suits. And by the 1970s we see suits becomeing increasingly less common.

Age 14

Boys at age 14 generally wore long pants suits during the 19th century. I am not sure of the suit styles. I do not have much information on the early 19th century, but believe that 14 year olds were beginning to wear adult styles. At mid-century we notice boys wearing essentially adult-styled suits with jackets and pants that did not match. This only began to change in the 1890s when in became quite common for teenagers to wear knee pants. This was not universl, but it was quite common for teenagers to wear kneepants suits in the 1890s and 1900s. By the 1910s knickers suits became more common and were still common in the 1920s. By the 30s, age 13-14 became the approximate age that boys received thir first long pants suits. After World War II boys at age 14 were wearing adult-styled long pants suits. Although more informal styles like sport jackets or blazers were popular for boys. Also by the 1960s suits began to become less common for boys as dress became increasingly common. Boys by the end of the 20th century were wearing suits oinly for the most formal occassions.

Age 15

Boys at 15 years of age mostly wore long pants suits in the 19th century, We note some teenagers by the 1890s wearing kneepants suits. Quite old boys might wear kneepants at the turn of the 20th century. Boys began wearing knickers in the 1910s. We see boys 15 years old wearing knickers in the 1910s and 20s, but by the late 20s were mosyly wearing long pants.

Created: 7:32 PM 5/4/2007
Last updated: 5:01 AM 6/28/2022