Figure 1.--Here two children are wearing their party clothes. The girl has a hair boe and wears a pastel yellow dress. The boy wears a grey Eron suit. Grey was one of the colors used for these juvenile Eton suits. This is from a Sears Spring 1963 adverising supplement. There was an article entitled,"See what Sears has for children (whose mothers have more taste than money)." Unfortunately we can not read the text, except for an introduction. "The folks at Sears, Roebuck and co. are famous for finding lovely children's fashions that lead long, active lives. Outfit your children fr sring at low Sears prices. Remember you can charge it."

Grey was one of the popular colors for the suits wirn by American biys. We are not sure about the full chronology of grey as a popular color for boys' suits. We do not yet know about the 18th century. We notice grey suits throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Grey became a very important color for boys' suits in the 20th century. We are less sure about the 19th century. We know it was a color that was used, but we are not sure how common it was. Grey is mentioned in available catalogs. Grey was done in many gry shades, from light to charkcoal (dark) grey. And we see colorized portrais showing 19th century grey suits. We note grey beng used to tone down the brightness of colored suits. This is often described in the period catalogs, we note references to grey-blue and grey-green. Clearly bright colors were not as acceptavle for boys as they were for girls. Hrey gave a more muted color hue. Grey became increasingly important in the 20th centry for boys's suit. We think it was more important in Britain than America, in part because it became associated with school wear. Many British boys wore grey suits to school. But we also see American boys wearing grey suits. We suspect that British usage may have influenced Amercan tastes. This was a process that may have taken some time. British fashions were most influential with the Northeastern elite, but then might gradually defuse among the wider oulastion. Grey suits were never a standard American school uniform itemm but gradually became a popular color for conservative dress. The term grey flannel suit became a fashion standard for men and boys. It was also a color used in American military school uniforms which also may have been an influence, especially in the 19th century. And of course with the advent of color photography and increasingly common color printing, we have much more color information in the 20th century, especially the second half of the 20th century. Grey was one of the popular colors used for juvenile Eton suits.

Chronology

Grey was one of the popular colors for the suits wirn by American biys. We are not sure about the full chronology of grey as a popular color for boys' suits. We do not yet know about the 18th century. We notice grey suits throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. We have only limited imformation on the 19th century. We know it was a color that was used in the 19th century, but we are not sure how common it was. Grey is mentioned in available catalogs. There were no American 19th century color photography. We do have colorized photographhs which provide some indication, although not the precise shade. Grey became a very important color for boys' suits in the 20th century. Grey became increasingly important in the 20th centry for boys's suit. The term grey flannel suit became a fashion standard for men and boys. With the advent of color photography and increasingly common color printing, we have much more color information in the 20th century, especially the second half of the 20th century. Grey was one of the popular colors used for juvenile Eton suits (figure 1).

Shades

Grey was done in many shades, from light to charkcoal (dark) grey. And we see colorized portrais showing 19th century grey suits. We note grey beng used to tone down the brightness of colored suits. This is often described in the period catalogs, we note references to grey-blue and grey-green. Clearly bright colors were not as acceptavle for boys as they were for girls. Grey gave a more muted color hue.

Country Trends

We think it was more important in Britain than America, in part because it became associated with school wear. Many British boys wore grey suits to school. But we also see American boys wearing grey suits. We suspect that British usage may have influenced Amercan tastes. This was a process that might have taken some time. British fashions were most influential with the Northeastern elite, but then might gradually defuse among the wider oulastion.

Schoolwear

Grey suits were never a standard American school uniform item but gradually became a popular color for conservative dress.

Military Accademies

Grey as also a color used in American military school uniforms which also may have been an influence, especially in the 19th century.

Created: 7:12 PM 7/6/2014
Last updated: 8:32 AM 2/8/2015