Figure 1.--This unidentified American boy wears what looks like a classic velvet Little Lord Fauntleroy suit. He looks to be abpit 6 years old. There are some minor differences with the classic suit. His blouse is not quite as elaborate as a classic Fauntleroy blouse. And the closure is more pronounced than was common with classic suits. Guis pants look to be short pants, alrgough rather long shorts, rather than knee pants. And he wears white long stockings, that was very rare during the classic era. This porrttait is a little tricky to date. The high-top, lace -up shoes suyggest the late-1900s or 1910s. But this is not a caninet card, but a portrait in a fancy paper frame loojung like the late-1910s or 1920s. The studio was Mitchell in New York City.

The basic garments associated with the Fauntleroy suit changed significantly during this final period along with ovedrall fashion shofts. The classic Fauntleroy suit was always worn with a hat such as a wide brimmed sailor hat with an elastic chin strap and flowing streamer. Caps might be worn on less formal occasions. After World War I it became increasingly less common to wear hats with Fauntleroy suits and there is no single hat or cap style associated with the Fauntleroy style. Fauntleroy jackets in this late period were still made to be worn open like the classic Fautleroy jackets. The purpose of course was to show off the fancy blouses. Boys in the final period, however, especially by the 1920s were less likely to wear fancy blouses. The buttoned up or high collar jacket often worn with Edwardian Fauntleroy suits began to evolve into more modern-looking jackets with buttoning V jackets, but without lapels. Some jackets as late as the mid-1920s came with large buttons as a stylistic element. Gradually the suits evoloved toward the lapelless Eton suits that boys began to wear in the late 1920s. The elaborate lace collar had disappeared after the turn of the century. The ruffled collars worn during the 1900s declined in popularity during the War. They were still worn by some boys. Commonly they werecwide collars in varius shapes with ruffled edging. They might have matching sleeve wrist trim. These ruffled collars were still occasionally seen in the 1920s and even the 1930s. These frilly ruffled blouses, however, evolved into more modern looking styles such as the wide-white Peter Pan style. The most popular was the Peter Pan collar, but there were many other variations. Some collars with sharp pleated creases were worn. Large floppy bowsd and sashes were not nearly as common with Edwardian Fauntleroy suits as they were in the classic period. While open ruffled collars were not suitable for bows, even as closed Peter Pan collars increased in popularity, they were still not worn with bows. Knee pants were still commonly worn with Fauntleroy suits in the early 1910s before World WarvI. After the War knee pants rapidly disappeared and Fauntleroy suits were mostly worn with short, rather than kneepants. The earliest short pants were about the same length as kneepants. Mothers on the Continent, especially in France or Italy, began to chose shorter length shorts pants for boys. The white stockings and socks appearing after the turn of the century became increasingly common as part of the Fauntleroy outfit. Some boys wore their suits with black stockings or socks, but they were not nearly as common. Long stockings generally disappeared in the 1920s, but were still occasionally worn in the 1930s for very formal occasions. The white stockings or knee socks seemed especially child-like as such stockings were more commonly worn by girls. Patent leather strap shoes or dance pumps with bows were often worn with formal Fauntleroy suits in the 1920s, although this became somewhat less common in the 1930s.

Headwear

The classic Fauntleroy suit was always worn with a hat such as a wide brimmed sailor hat with an elastic chin strap and flowing streamer. Caps might be worn on less formal occasions. After World War I it became increasingly less common to wear hats with Fauntleroy suits and there is no single hat or cap style associated with the Fauntleroy style.

Jackets

Fauntleroy jackets in this late period were still made to be worn open like the classic Fautleroy jackets. The purpose of course was to show off the fancy blouses. Boys in the final period, however, especially by the 1920s were less likely to wear fancy blouses. The buttoned up or high collar jacket often worn with Edwardian Fauntleroy suits began to evolve into more modern-looking jackets with buttoning V jackets, but without lapels. Some jackets as late as the mid-1920s came with large buttons as a stylistic element. Gradually the suits evoloved toward the lapelless Eton suits that boys began to wear in the late 1920s.

Blouses

The elaborate lace collar had disappeared after the turn of the century. The ruffled collars worn during the 1900s declined in popularity during the War. They were still worn by some boys. Commonly they were wide collars in various shapes with ruffled edging. Note the collar here is large, but not nearly as elaborate as during the classic era. They might have matching sleeve wrist trim. These ruffled collars were still occasionally seen in the 1920s and even the 1930s. These frilly ruffled blouses, however, evolved into more modern looking styles such as the wide-white Peter Pan style. The most popular was the Peter Pan collar, but there were many other variations. Some collars with sharp pleated creases were worn.

Bows and sashes

Large floppy bowsd and sashes were not nearly as common with Edwardian Fauntleroy suits as they were in the classic period. While open ruffled collars were not suitable for bows, even as closed Peter Pan collars increased in popularity, they were still not worn with bows. Note the New York boy here does not have a floppy bow (figure 1). Sashes are also virtually never seen.

Pants

Knee pants were still commonly worn with Fauntleroy suits in the early 1910s before World WarvI. After the War knee pants rapidly disappeared and Fauntleroy suits were mostly worn with short pants, rather than knee pants. The earliest short pants were about the same length as knee pants. Mothers on the Continent, especially in France or Italy, began to chose shorter length shorts pants for boys.

Hosiery

The white stockings and socks appearing after the turn of the century became increasingly common as part of the Fauntleroy outfit. Some boys wore their suits with black stockings or socks, but they were not nearly as common. The New York boy here is agood example (figure 1). Long stockings generally disappeared in the 1920s, but werestill occasionally worn in the 1930s for very formal occasions. The white stockings or knee socks seemed especially child-like as such stockings wre more commonly worn by girls.

Footwear

Footwear varied. We notice both high-top and low-cut shoes. The boy here wears high-top shoes, but lace ups ratherv than the older button shoes still widely worn in the 1900s (figure 1). Patent leather strap shoes or dance pumps with bows were often worn with formal Fauntleroy suits in the 1920s, although this became somewhat less common in the 1930s.

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Created: 2:43 AM 10/7/2013
Last updated: 2:43 AM 10/7/2013