Figure 1.--This detail from the 1901 Eaton catalog shows one Highland kilt outfit along with several outfits referred to as kilt suits which were middy blouses worn with skirted garments.
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Figure 1.--This detail from the 1901 Eaton catalog shows one Highland kilt outfit along with several outfits referred to as kilt suits which were middy blouses worn with skirted garments. |
Eaton's in 1901 offered a Highland kilt outfit and several different kilt suit outfits. Eaton's offered kilt suits for younger boys 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 years or 4 years. The precission of the dating is interesting. Also the fact that the oldest is 3 1/2 years suggests that some boys in Canada were being breached before their 4th birthday in 1901. The Highland kilt costume were for somewhat older boys. Not all of them were illustrated.
T. Eaton's was a well known Toranto department store. Their catalogs provide a good indication of the styles popular in Canada at the time. This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store
chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton
empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
Eaton shows rather informal with their fancu blouses. With the kilt outfits only the Hihland Kilt cotume is shown with headwear. The boy wears a Glengary with an eagle feather. The boys in kilt suits are shown without headwear. We suspect that they may have worn wide-brimmed sailor hats.
Eatons refers to these outfits as kilt suits. We note, hoever, that they commonly refer to the kilt itself as a "skirt". We also notice the use of American spellings, such a "color" rather than "colour". We also note the use of American terns such as "vest" rather than "waistcoat". This suggests that at Etons thatthe predominate fashion influence was America rather than England. We also notice the term "plaited". We think it meand pleated, but are not sure.
Eaton's offered one Higland Kilt costime. It appears to provide complete Highland regalia and is No. 312 in the accompanying illustration here.
Eaton's offered three galatea kilt suits for younger boys 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 years. The precission of the dating is interesting. Also the fact that the oldest is 3 1/2 years suggests that boys in Canada were being breached before their 4th birthday in 1900. Only one of these suits, however, was illustrated.
The ad copy read, "Neat stripped galatea kilt suits, dark and light blue stripes and checks ... 50c.
Thi is the only galatea kilt that is illustrated. The ad copy read, "Drill, duck and pique suits, in plain white and khaki, some with belt, sailor collar with white stitching (only with plain front ) ... 75c"
This kilt suit appears to have been styled like the No. 304 style. The ad copy read, "Plain khaki, khaki with spot, dark and light blue with white stripes, blue and pink stripes with dot, open front, round collar at back, lanyard and whistle ... 1.00"
Eaton offered only one Highland kilt outfit which they called a suit. It was a kilt costume with full Highland regalia. It was made in a somewhat larger size than the other kilt suits.
The ad copy for this Highland kilt costume read, "Highland kilt suits, jacket and vest of blue black velvet, velvet cap to match, sporan, stockings and broach, plaid skirts with sash, sizes 3 to 7 years ... 12.50." This complete Highland kilt outfit was very expensive.
These suits were made in sizes from 1 1/2 to 4 years. They appear to have had middy blouses rather than suit jackets.
The ad copy read, "Navy blue melton cloth kilt suits, braid trimmed with lanyard and whistle ... 1.50."
The ad copy read, "Navy blue serge kilt suits, deep sailor collar, braid trimming, separate blouse and skirt attavhed ... 2.00.
The ad copy read, "Child's kilt suits, navy blue serge kilkt suit, plaited skirts, sailor collar and skirt trimmed with colored braid, $2.50 and ... 3.00"
The ad copy read, "Royal blue and cardinal kilt suits, front and skirt plaited, sailor collar neatly trimmed with braid, small buttons on front ... 2.50"
Reads may be interested in bckground information on the wearing of kilts in Canada. There is a substantial Scottish influence in Canada. The Maritime Provinces, especially Nov
Scotia have the most obvious Scottish influence, but even French Montreal has significant Scottish influence. One report indivates that at least some boys in Nova Scotia wore kilts
during the 19th century. This appears to have been the case for sone boys whose fathers were soldiers in St. Johns. HBC does not know, however, how common this was, either for soldiers' families or for the population in general. We note stores at the turn of the 20th century were offering essentially the same styles as Ametican stores, including kilt suits, fancy blouses, and Fauntleroy suits.
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