Figure 1.-- This cabinet portrait shows an unidentified boy who looks to be about 3-4vyears of age. The portrait is undated, but looks like the 1870s to us, probably the mid- or late-70s. He wears a kilt suit with a large collar and small ribbon bow. He is holding a cane. Note his tam and overcoat at the left. The studio was C. Parker in Newark, New Jersey.

Tams or Tam O'Shanters were another popular choice to be worn with kilt suits. Tams were one of many varied types of headwear worn by boys with kilt suits. In fact many of the boys we see wearing tams are dressed in kilt suits. This includes both regular kilt suits and Fauntleroy kilt suits or at least kilt suits with Fauntleroy collars. The connection between kilt suits and tams prpbably occurred because the tam was a headwear seen as suitable for younger boys and these were the boys wearing kilt suits. We are not yet sure about precise ages, but the examples we have found so far are pre-school age to about 5-years of age. And of course the Scottish association may have been part of the reason tams were chosen for the boys' kilt suit outfits. While we see some boys wearing tams with kilt suits, they were not the most common headwear choice. Some of these tams were quite large. We note good-sized tams with poms on the top. The poms seem fairly standard. Thankfully some momms included the headwear in the studio portraits. The tams we have noted have mostly been dark colors, but we do not know just what specific colors. Presumably a color was chosen to match the kilt suit. Tams were a headware type worn by both boys and girls. We note boys wearing tams with kilts suits during the 1870s-80s. We are not yet sure about the 1890s, but at least the early-90s seem likely.

Popularity

Tams or Tam O'Shanters were another popular choice to be worn with kilt suits. Tams were one of many varied types of headwear worn by boys with kilt suits. They were not the most common of the different choices, but we ee severl examples. While we see some boys wearing tams with kilt suits, they were not the most common headwear choice. Thankfully some momms included the headwear in the studio portraits so we get some idea about the popularity of the different types of headwear.

Conventions

They seem to be one of the more dressy choices.

Association

Many of the boys we see wearing tams are dressed in kilt suits. This includes both regular kilt suits and Fauntleroy kilt suits or at least kilt suits with Fauntleroy collars. And most of the examples come from the decaded in which kilt suits were the most common, the late-19th century. We note boys wearing lace collars. This may be in part chronological as lace collars seem prevalent in the 1870s and 80s, but by the 1890s lrger ruffled collars seem more common. This is a little difficult tgo be orecise with because most of our available images are undated. Some, but not all of the Fauntkleroy kikt suyits we have found are velvet.

Age

The connection between kilt suits and tams prpbably occurred because the tam was a headwear seen as suitable for younger boys and these were the boys wearing kilt suits. We are not yet sure about precise ages, but the examples we have found so far are pre-school age to about 5-years of age.

Scottish Association

And of course the Scottish association may have been part of the reason tams were chosen for the boys' kilt suit outfits.

Sizes

Some of these tams were quite large.

Poms

We note good-sized tams with poms on the top. The poms seem fairly standard. Some seem aentb color than the tam itsellf.

Colors

The tams we have noted have mostly been dark colors, but we do not know just what specific colors. Presumably a color was chosen to match the kilt suit.

Gender

Tams were a headware type worn by both boys and girls. Of course only the boys wore kilt suits.

Chronolohy

We note boys wearing tams with kilts suits during the 1870s-80s. We are not yet sure about the 1860s and 90s, but at least the early-90s seem likely.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
[Return to the Main American kilt suit headwear page]
[Return to the Main American kilt suit page]
[Return to the Main kilt page]
[Return to the Main tam accompanying clothing page]
[Scottish kilts] [Scottish boys clothing] [Scottish school uniform] [Highland dance]
[Irish kilts] [Irish boys clothing] [Irish step dancing]
[Greek kilts]

Navigate the Related HBC pages:
[Lace collar] [Tams] [Neckwear] [Cut-away jackets] [Kilt suits] [Velvet] [Long stockings] [Shoes]

Created: 9:47 PM 3/13/2010
Last updated: 2:47 AM 5/28/2013