Figure 1.--This American boy pictures with his sister wears a boyish-looking double breasted suit. His mother has lovingly embellished it with a huge ruffled collar and large bow. The photograph was taken in Michigan during the 1890s.

We are not sure when double breasted styling first appeared or who designed them. Almost certainly they were inspired by military uniforms. The most influential uniforms were those of Hussars. The origind of the Hussars was Hungary. Hussars were used in the calvary of the Polish king who releaved Vienna from a Turkish seige in the 17th Century. Their uniforms insluded feathered wings and leopard skins. The name Hussars may have come from the sound these wings made when the horses were at full gallop. Double-breasted garments were wirn in many countries. We do not yet, howeever, have much information on the foreign language terms for double-breasted styling. We believe that the French term is 'veste croisée'. Parallel rows of buttons appeared on many other types of clothing. Double breasted styling has been used since the early 19th Century on a wide variety of garments. Generally it was two rows of parallel buttons, but some clothes had three rows. While roughly parallel, the rows often widened near the top of the garment around the collar. Double-breasted as regards children's clothing is best known for styling on boys' jackets. The double-breasted style was not limited to boys' jackets. Parallel rowsof buttons appeared on many other types of clothing. Even dresses for little boys and girls appeared in the double breasted style. In comparison to the skeleton suits and mid-19th century suits with large numbers of buttons,some of the double breasted dresses had only four buttons. Parallel rows of buttons, however, appeared on many other types of clothing. Even dresses for little boys and girls appeared in the double breasted style.

Background

We are not sure when double breasted styling first appeared or who designed them. Almost certainly they were inspired by military uniforms. The most influential uniforms were those of Hussars. The origind of the Hussars was Hungary. Hussars were used in the calvary of the Polish king who releaved Vienna from a Turkish seige in the 17th Century. Their uniforms insluded feathered wings and leopard skins. The name Hussars may have come from the sound these wings made when the horses were at full gallop. We are not sure if the double breasted style was part of their uniform at the time. Their illustrious record, however, was honored by other European armies who in the 18th Century created Hussar units in their calvary and by the turn of the 19th Century their uniforms did sport elaborate double breasted jackets. The double breasted styling used in children's clothes was clearly a reflection of the military uniforms worn in the early 19th Century during the Napoleonic Wars. Elaborate uniforms for units liked the Hussars had elaborate double breasted styling. The double breasted uniform jackets were particularly popular duting the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. They were also enormously expensive. An Hussar officer's uniform night cost a year's salary and he might go through four a year. This explains why officers in many countries, like England, were gentlemen who had wealth in their own right. They were worn by Austrian, English, French, Prussian, and other soldiers. Double breasted styles were used in military uniforms well into the 20th Century. Thus boys being boys and impressed by uniforms, it is understandable that elements of these uniforms would appear in boys' clothing. We do not yet have any historical information. I am collecting available images which hopefully will provide some insights on the development of this important style.

Terminology

Double-breasted garments were wirn in many countries. We do not yet, howeever, have much information on the foreign language terms for double-breasted styling. We believe that the French term is 'veste croisée'. A 'veste croisée' (crossed jacket) is a jacket where the sides of the jacket with the buttoning cross over each other by about 20 centimeters. HBC believes that this means "double breasted". By the same token, 'veston droit droit' (straight jacket) would button one end just over the other. HBC believes that this means 'single breasted'. We would appreciate our world-wide raeders providing the term for double-breasted in their language.

Styling

Parallel rows of buttons appeared on many other types of clothing. Double breasted styling has been used since the early 19th Century on a wide variety of garments. Generally it was two rows of parallel buttons, but some clothes had three rows. While roughly parallel, the rows often widened near the top of the garment around the collar.

Garments

We see quite a variety of garmenrs done with double-brasted styling. ouble-breasted styling as regards children's clothing is best known for styling on boys' suit jackets. The double-breasted style, however, was not limited to suit jackets. Parallel rows of buttons appeared on many other types of clothing, especially boys' clohing. As fr as we can tell, double breasted stylng for boys began wih keleton suits in the early-19h century. Even dresses for little boys and girls appeared in the double breasted style. In comparison to the skeleton suits and mid-19th Century suits with large numbers of buttons, some of the double breasted dresses had only four buttons. Parallel rows of buttons, however, appeared on many other types of clothing. We see them on kilt suits, Oliver Twistsuits, regular suits, and blazers. Double brested stylng was especially for sailor outfits. This included both sailor suits and sailor reefer jackets. This was probably because double-breasted stylng was adopted for many Royal Navy uniform items. Miltary styling is an important binfluence for boh boys' and men'stylng. And this is one of the best examples.