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The photographic record suggests that many boys at age 3-years were still wearing skirted garments. In the early-19th century this was proarily dresses, but because photography had not yet been invented, there is realtively klimted imagery available. Gradually we see a shift at mid-century, as kilts bein to become fashionable--a trend set in motion by Queen Victoria who began dressing the young princes in kilts. The fashion seems to have criossed the Atlantic, but rather than Highland kilts we mostly see kilt suits. By the 1870s, the kilt suit seems to have become a garment of some imortance for younger boys. We see kilt suits becomingh more common than dresses except for the youngest children. We are not entirely sure that it was one of the others. We suspect it was, but some boys may have worn both dresses and kilt suits, depending on the occasion. And by the 90s, kilt suits seem a much more popular option than dresses. And some mothers even chose Fauntleroy suits by the late-80s that otherwise would have chosen dresses or kilt suits. Kilt suits were a very popular style for younger boys, but for a realtively narrow age range. The age conventions seem fairly standard over the period these garments were popular. Kilt suits were typically made for pre-school boys from about 3 to 6 years of age. Some of the kilt skirts seem rather long. Presumably this was mothers attempt to buy an outfit a boy could grow into. Availavle catalogs provide details as to the ages for which these suits were made and 3 years olds were almost always within the age range. We probably see more 3 year olds wearing kilt suits than any other age. A good example is a Minnesota boy named Arthur who was 3 and a half years old in 1885. The unidentified Omaha boy here looks to be about 3 years old in 1890 (figure 1). We also notice Walter, a Philadelphia boy who just turned age 2 years in 1892 and wears a Fauntleroy kilt suit.
The photographic record suggests that many boys at age 3-years were still wearing skirted garments. In the early-19th century this was proarily dresses, but because photography had not yet been invented, there is realtively llimted imagery available. Gradually we see a shift at mid-century, as kilts bein to become fashionable--a trend set in motion by Queen Victoria who began dressing the young princes in kilts (1840s). The fashion seems to have criossed the Atlantic, but rather than Highland kilts we mostly see kilt suits.
By the 1870s, the kilt suit seems to have become a garment of some importance for younger boys. We see kilt suits becomingh more common than dresses except for the youngest children. We are not entirely sure that it was one of the others. We suspect it was, but some boys may have worn both dresses and kilt suits, depending on the occasion. And by the 90s, kilt suits seem a much more popular option than dresses. And some mothers even chose Fauntleroy suits by the late-80s that otherwise would have chosen dresses or kilt suits.
Kilt suits were a very popular style for younger boys, but for a realtively narrow age range. The age conventions seem fairly standard over the period these garments were popular. Kilt suits were typically made for pre-school boys from about 3 to 6 years of age. We think 3-5 were the most common ages, but we doi see some 6-year olds wering them. Of course a major problem we have is that the children's age is not noted on most old photographs. Thus we are left to estimate the children's ages. While we don't think we are generally off more than a year or so. This has to be noted. We encourage readers to let us know if you have a different asessment of the ages. One aid that we have is multiple subject images. This can help asess images because generally spoeaking that childrem are commonly spaced 2 or more years apart. Here biology is a factor. Reakly large families have children close together, smaller families rarely have children closer than 2 years. This helps us with age estimates, including the age of breeching.
We see many examples of kilt suits in the photographic record. But we think that kilt suits were only worn by boys from upper- and middle-class families, but not working-class boys. This is how mothers dressed boys for special occassions. We are not entirely sure how fhey were dressed for evert-day life. The problem here is that we do not yet have any number of family snap-shots showing every-day life. The fact that we do not see boys wearing kilt suits to school we think which we can see in school photograophy. This reflects in part it was mostly younger boys wearuing kilt suits, but also we think reflects the fact that it was mostly boys from well to do families wear these outfits.
Some of the kilt skirts of these suits seem rather long. We don't think that this was a stylistic decision. Unlike British mathers, kilts were something that were totally new to American mothers. They may have heard of kilts, but had never ever seen boys or men actually wearing them. Presumably this was mothers attempt to buy an outfit a boy could grow into.
Catalogs were becoming imoprtant by the late-19th century. Availavle catalogs provide details as to the ages for which these suits were made and 3 years olds were almost always within the age range.
We probably see more 3 year olds wearing kilt suits than any other age. A good example is a Minnesota boy named Arthur who was 3 and a half years old in 1885. The unidentified Omaha boy here looks to be about 3 years old in 1890 (figure 1). We also notice Walter, a Philadelphia boy who just turned 2 years old in 1892 and wears a Fauntleroy kilt suit.
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