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. The age of boys wearing these suits changed somewhat in the 1890s and after the turn-of-the century when kilts suits were going out of style. We see younger boys wearuing them during this period. Kilt suits were primarily worn in the late-19th century. We see a few boys wearing them in the very early 20th century, but mostly quite young boys. We have begun to develop some age information. They 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. We also have escriptions on portraits. While kilt suits were primarily made for pre-school boys, we do see some older boys wearing them, although not at school. Our archive of 19h century school images is limited, but we do not see boys wearing kilt suits to school. Sometimes boys as old as 7 or 8 might still wear them, perhaps a few boys even older. Many mothers considered a boys size rather than his age to be the determining factor.
We note quite a few catalogs with kilt suits beinning at about 2 1/2 years. As far as we can tell, this was the smallest sizes in which kilt suits were made. Notably many boys at age 2 years were wearing dresses, especally in the early 19th century and this was still the case in the 1860s-70s. But by this time we see more abd more boys wearing kilt suitts. It should ve sressed that this was an outfit by boys in urban areas in confortable cirumstnces, meaning the middle and upper classes. These of course were the most likely fmilies and children to be photographd. We doubt if many working-class boys were dressed like this. We also see 2 year olds wearing dresses that look rather like kilt suits. This seems to change in the 80s and by the 90s many mothers wre choosing kilt suits rather than dresses for pre-school boys. The age of boys wearing these suits changed somewhat in the 1890s and after the turn-of-the 20th century when kilts suits were going out of style. We still see some younger boys wearing kilt suits during this period, but fewer and fewer boys. Kilt suits were primarily worn in the late-19th century. We see a few boys wearing them in the very early-20th century, but not many and mostly quite young boys.
The photographic record suggests that many boys at age 3-years were still wearing dresses. Grafually we see a shitft to kilt suits, especially by the 1880s. 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 more popular option than dresses. And some more even chose Fauntleoy 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. We also notice Walter, a Philadelphia boy who just turned 2 in 1892 and wears a Fauntleroy kiltsuit.
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We also see many American 4 year olds wearing kilt suits and until the turn-of the 20th centurry, 4 year olds were within the age range of most catalog listings. There were somewhat fewer 4-year olds than 3-year olds, in part because some boys were breeched at age four or after they turned 4 yers old. Here we are not etirely sure about breeching conventions. Some boys my have worn kilt suits after breeching, either because they were considered a stylish style or to get the good out of the suit. Like 3 year olds, we see many 4 year olds wearing kilt sits. In the 1880s the Little Lord Fauntleroy suits became so poplar that many 4-year olds wore them rather than kilt suits. Of course kikt suits could be done as kilt suits.
We see quite a few American 5-year olds wearing kilt suits. There were not as many 5-year olds as 3 and 4 year olds because many boys were breeched by 5 years of age. We see many boys wearing pants by age 5 years, motly knee pants. But there many boys wearng kilt suits. We believe social class was a factornas was the chronology. We think mre boys wore kilt suits in the 1870s and 80sd, than the 1890s, especially the late-90s. We think kilts suits affected the wearing of dresses. We suspect that some boys wore kilt suits that would not have worn dresses. Kilts suits wrre skirted garments, but they had a more boyish look than dresses, even plin dresses. This was an important age because boys began school at 6 years of age and they woukd not have begun school wearing a kilt suit. That does not nean that all boys were breeched at ge 6 years. Butv it does mean that virtually all boys attending school were. We assumed that they once breeched for school tht theu no longer wore kilt suits and other sirted garments. We wonder \, however, if a few thriufty mems might have nrought out the kilt suits for special occasions for a while. We can not conform that this occurred, but it is a possibility.
While kilt suits were primarily made for pre-school boys, we do see some 6-year olds wearing them. Not large numbers of 6-year plds, but we do see some. This was a relstively small number of the boys we have found wearing kilt suits. The prevalence in the photographic record suggests that it was not very common for older boys to wear them. As our American archive is fairly extensive, we believe that this is a realtively good reflection of the actual prevalence. Another indicator of the reltive prevalence of kilt suits is that we do not see them in school portraits and by the 1870s when kilt suits becamne increasingly popular, public school attendance was also becoming increasingly standardized. And we do not see boys wearing kilt suits to school. Our archive of 19th century school images is limited, but we do not see boys wearing kilt suits to school. You can see that in the individual 19th century school pages. Boys may have turned 6 after the September school cut off date. And that it means either kilt suits were worn by well-to-do boys who were tutored at home or boys wore kilt suits for special occasions after they were breeched. This we are not entirey sure about. But we do see 6 year old wearing them, although not at school.
Most of the kilt suits we have noted in the photographic record were worn by boys 6 yers of age or younger. We have noted a few older boys wearing them. As many of our images do not note the boy's age, we have to estimte ages. Whike this is imprecise, we believe that our estimtes are accurate within a year or so. We welcome readers to offer their estimstes if they disagree. Sometimes boys as old as 7 or 8 years might still wear them kilt suits, perhaps a few boys even older. As mentioned above, these boys did not wear thrir kikt suits to school. We do not even see the 6 year olds begunning school wearing kilt suits. This may have been esoecially common for boys who were small in stature. Many mothers considered a boys size rather than his age to be the determining factor. Inteestingly, we note more boys in the photographic record wearing dresses than kilt suits. We suspect that the photographic record is a felstively good reflection of prevakence. We do not understand why this seems to have been the case. Perhaps mothers resisting breeching their sons were not interested in half way measures like kikt suits, some of hich were orn with knee oants. Perhps readers msy have some idea about this.
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