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We have noted skirts being worn both with and without jackets. Like kiltsuits, the jackets matched the skirts. We have noted these skirt suits at least by the 1850s. They have been worn even earlier. These skirt suits appear to have been precursors to kilt suits. Unlike kilts suits they were not pleated and did not have closed jackets. We also notice skirt suits in the 1860s, but by the 1870s when kiltsuits we no longer see skirt suits. We have only a few images of skirt suits, but they show boys wearing white socks rather than the long dark stockings normally worn with kiltsuits. Our images are of American boys. We do not know if these skirt suits were orn in other countries. We do not believe that girls wore these suits, but can not yet confirm thus.
We have noted skirts being worn both with and without jackets. Like kiltsuits, the jackets matched the skirts. We think it was more common for boys to wear skits as part of a suit, but we have only limited information to support this assumption at this time. We have noted few portraits of boys just wearing skirts.
The two basic garments of a skirt suit were the jacket and garment. Normally the jacket was a short garment that was worn open, only connected near the collar. Available images do not seem to be buttoned, but rather connected by some sort of cord. Many only had collar buttons. They do not appear to have had pockets. The sleeves were different lengths. The ones we have noted were cut jusr below the elbows and others came to the wrist. The skirts were generally unpleated. We have not noted vests. We have noted suits worn with matching pants under thge skirt rather rather than trousers.
We describe these outfits as skirt suits. We are not sure how they were described in contemporary sources.
We have noted these skirt suits at least by the 1850s. They have been worn even earlier, although we have no evidence yet to substantiate this. We note kilt skirts being worn throughout the second half of the 19th cedntury, beginning in the 1860s. A good example is Benjamin Morris Whitlock in the late-1860s.
HBC does not yet know who first conceived of the skirt suit.
The suits we have seen have been made in several different fabrics. We have noted velvet suits. We are les sure about the other fabrics.
The suits we have seen have been solid color material. We have seen both light and dark colored suits, but with the black and white photography of the day, we are not sure about the actual colors.
We have noted detailing on some of the suits. Often the detailing on the skirt matches the detailing on the jacket.
We notice some boys wearing skirted suits with not attempt being made to make the skirt look like a kilt. These may be early versions of the kilt suit for boys. This seems most common in the 1860s and 70s. We are less sure about the 1850s, in part because the photographic record is incomplete. We note that these skirted suits were worn by boys. Some have boyoish touches like military styling. We are not sure, however, if all of these skirted suit outfits were worn by boys. Some not show no attempt to present the skirt as kilt, but also show feminine touches, such as ruffles and florishes on the skirt. This does not necesarily mean, however, that they were worn by girls. We are not sure at this time to what extent such outfits were worn by girls.
These skirt suits appear to have been precursors to kilt suits. Unlike kilts suits they were not pleated and did not have closed jackets. We also notice skirt suits in the 1860s, but by the 1870s when kiltsuits we no longer see skirt suits.
We have only a few images of skirt suits, but they all show boys wearing blouses. The blouses tended to have small collars, in part because the images are from the 1850s and 60s. The blooses were worn with small bows. Some kimages show boys wearing white socks rather than the long dark stockings normally worn with kiltsuits. We have noted boys wearing both strap shoes and boot-like high-top shoes. Some boys also wore pantalettes with their skirt suits.
We are not yet sure about country trends. We know these suits were widely worn in America. Our images are mostly of American boys. A good example is Chicago boy R. Demarst. We do not know how widely these skirt suits were in Europe, but we do note examples. We have noted them in England and France.
We do not believe that girls wore these suits, but can not yet confirm thus.
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