Figure 1.--This cabinet card shows an American boy on a studio glider hobby horse. The boy is we think Ray Reece Porter, the writing on the back is difficult to read. Ray was 3 years, 10 moths old. The studio is Cummings Bros, but the location is unknown. This is unusual for an American studio portrait and one reason that we date it to the 1880s. We are unsure about the date. While we would guess the early-1880s, the Fauntkleroy style collar sbd cuffs suggdst the mid- or late-80s is possible. The boy wears a kilt suit with a muted plaid. nIt has a cut-away jacket and vest. Mother has added the fbcy lace collar and sleeve cuffs.

Vests were sometimes worn with kilt suits They were less common than with non-Fauntleroy suits. This is because they covered up the boy's front which the classic Fauntlroy suit left uncovered to expose the elaborate Fauntleroy blouses. Mothers wanted these blouces to be seen. That was their whole purose. It was why bthey were made tonbe a famboyant style. And mothers did not want them covered up. Of course not every mother used the Fauntleroy blouse to achieve the Fauntleroy look. As a result, the boys wearing vests were not wearing the Fauntleroys blouses with all the ruffles and flounces. Rather thet would have pin on lace and ruffled collas and cuffs to achieve the Fauntleroy look. This was the same for regular Fauntleroy suits done with knee pants.

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Created: 11:29 AM 4/1/2019
Last updated: 11:29 AM 4/1/2019