Figure 1.--Most portraits of boys in Fautleroy suits that we have noted have been boys from about 3-8 years of age, but older boys did wear them. Even more common for older boys were standard suits with Fauntleroy trim. Here we see a younger boy who looks to be about 2-3 years old and he is wearing a stardard lael jacket rasther thabn a cut-away jacket. The Fauntleroy style was very popular for boys this age. Many of these boys might not yet be breeched if the Fauntlroy style had not been so popular.
Boys younger than 3 years did not commonly wear Fauntleroy suits, in part because they were not yet breeched. It was not common to breech boys at age 2 years until after the turn-of-the 20th century, although some boys were breeched at this youung age. This varied somewhst chronolohically and there were also social class factors. This was a very common convention throughout the 19th century which only began to weaken a few years before the end of the century. We are not entirely sure just why. One option for these younger boys was to wear Fauntlroy dresses or dresses with various Fauntleroy elements added. There was also the related kilt suit option. This was an alternative for a mother attracted to the Fauntleroy style, but could not bring herself to breech her son at such a young age. We also notice Fauntleroy jackets and blouses worn with with quite a number of kilt-skirts rather than knee pants--the kilt suit which became popular in the 1870s. This was popular with some mothers. It was a practical alternative because it meant that the jackets could be worn a long time, first with the kilt-skirt and then after breeching with knee pants. Only the lower part of the suit needed to be changed. We see a very young boy here wearing a Fauntleroy suit who looks to be about 2-3 years of age (figure 1). The Fauntleroy style was a popular for these younger boys, perhaps more for the 3-year olds than the 2-year olds. Some mothers may have breeched their sons early just so they could get a Fauntleroy suit for them. Many of these boys might not yet be breeched if the Fauntleroy style had not been so popular. This may have been a factor in the decline of the dress convention for younge boys. This was notably a trend in progress by the end of the century. We see some 2-year olds wearing knee pants in the 1880es, but it was much more common during the the 1890s, especially the later part of the decade. We also note many boys at age 2 years had not yet had their hair cut short. Many had it done in ringlets. This was especially common in America. This was still quite common at age 2 years. Most boys did not wear ringlets, but at age 2 many did.
