Figure 1.--This unidentified boy wears a kilr suit with a white collar and modest-sized white bow. The collar looks like an Eton collsr, but we can not see the tips. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was taken in the mid-1880s. He holds a violin at his side. This was unusual because you do not see many boys with musical instruments before breeching. I think this reflects the prevailing attitudes toward the age at which children should lear musical instruments. Of course we do not know if the boy was learning to use the violin. The violin he is holding is presumably a studio prop. The studio is is Perkinson in New York and Newark.

The kilt suit was a popular oufit for younger boys over three decades (1870s-90s). This was a time in which both collars and neckwear underwent enormous change. Neckwear was not a major aspect of boyswear in the 1860s and only somewhat more important in the 1870s. We see different types of neckwear. Bows were only one of the various types of neckwear. Many boys did not wear any neckwear with their kilt suits. These boys often had large collars of various types. Or they wore kilt suits with sailor styling. Bows were the most common, but we see ribbon ties and little ties that look like bow ties. These various types were more common for older boys in the 1870s. The bows and other types were relatively small in the 1870s. his changed dramatically in the 1880s, especisally after the early 80s. Bows became the dominant type of neckwear and the sizes rapidly escalated. We see boys in the later-80s and 90s wearing large floppy bows with kilt suits. This was the time when younger boys generally wore large floppy bows of different colors and patterns. Here the Fauntleroy Craze which began in the mid-80s was a major factor. These bows were not peculiar to kilt suits, but rather commonly worn with Fauntleroy suits and other outfits as well. As with Fauntleroy suits we see many boys wearing large collars with and without the large floppy bows.

Neckwear Trends (19th Century)

The kilt suit was a popular oufit for younger boys over three decades (1870s-90s). This was a time in which both collars and neckwear underwent enormous change. Neckwear was not a major aspect of boyswear in the 1860s and only somewhat more important in the 1870s. There does not seem to be a type of neckwear specifically for the kilt suit. Rather there were neckwear trends for boys the age of those wearing kilt suits. Fortunately, because of photography theor is a huge boby of information available to fillow this process durin the 19th centuy. The kilt suit disappeared soon after the turn-of-the 20th century. These bows were not peculiar to kilt suits, but rather commonly worn with Fauntleroy suits and other outfits as well. As with Fauntleroy suits we see many boys wearing large collars with and without the large floppy bows.

Types

We see American boys wearing different types of neckwear with kilt suits. Floppy bows were the most obvious, but only one of the various types of neckwear. Ribbon bow seem popular in the 1870s. Furing the Funtleroy era (1885-1905), floppy bows were the most common. Many boys did not wear any neckwear with their kilt suits. These boys often had large collars of various types. Or they wore kilt suits with sailor styling in which case there might be a small scarfe like bow, but mothers being mothers sometimes added a floppy bow as well. Floppy bows were the most common, but we see ribbon ties and little ties that look like bow ties. These various types were more common for older boys in the 1870s, before floppy boes became such a popular item for younger boys. Here we see a boy wearing a relatively modest floppy bow and collar, probably in the early-1880s (figure 1).

Chonology

Size

The bows and other types were relatively small in the 1870s. his changed dramatically in the 1880s, especisally after the early 80s. Bows became the dominant type of neckwear and the sizes rapidly escalated. We see boys in the later-80s and 90s wearing large floppy bows with kilt suits. This was the time when younger boys generally wore large floppy bows of different colors and patterns. Here the Fauntleroy Craze which began in the mid-80s was a major factor. As collars increased in size so did the neckwear. Both bows and collrs became enormous.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing kilt pages:
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[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] [Rounded-crown hat] [Floppy bows] [Cut-away jackets] [Kilt suits] [Velvet] [Long stockings] [Shoes]

Created: 10:27 PM 3/8/2010
Last updated: 10:27 PM 3/8/2010