Velvet Suits

Figure 1.--This photograph of the son of Leland Stanford, the railorad tycoon and founder of Stanford University was taken in 1873. He wears a velvet suit with a small jacket and lace collar. This was a decade before the Fauntleroy craze.

Velvet was originally a luxurious fabric made from silk and was very expensive. Modern immitation velvets are often made from synthetic fibers (acetate, nylon, rayon, and others). The fabric has a thick, soft pile formed by loops of the warp thread, either cut at the end or left uncut. Velvet sometimes has a cotton backing. Velvet was first made in China. The term first appears in European litterature in the 13th Century. It was used to produce fine garments for wealthy individuals. The colors of velvet suits ranged widely. The primary color was black, but included many bright colors like red. Velvet of various colors, usually dark, was commonly used in the late 19th Century to produce better boys' party suits, especially Little Lord Fautntleoy suits. The photography of the day does not reveal colors, but we can generally detect black, although dark shdes of blur, brown, burgandy or green might look like balck. In the 20th Century boys dress suits are sometimes made of velvet, especially Eton suits for small boys. It is particularly popular for boys suits around the Christmas holiday season. Velvet trim was commonly used for trim on the lapels of better coats for small children. We notice younger boys in many different countries wearing velvet suits.

Material

Velvet is one of the most familiar of what are known as pile fabrics. The fabric has a thick, soft pile formed by loops of the warp thread, either cut at the end or left uncut. Velvet was first made in China. The term first appears in European litterature in the 13th Century. It was used to produce fine garments for wealthy individuals. It is is generally considered a luxurious fabric both because of its appearance and the material used to make it, especially the silk. Whuich is why velvet was first made in China. The term first appears in European litterature in the 13th Century. It was used to produce fine garments for wealthy individuals. Velvet has a luxurios feel and productions methods were complicated making it in addition to silk an expenive fabric. Velvet was widely used for fashionable younger boys' suits and girls' party dresses. The small size of younger children made it affordable, but it was most common with families in comforatable if not well-to-do circumstances. True velvet is quite expensive and made from silk. Thus much of the velvet during the Fauntleroy era was cotton with a small blend of silk. We see a lot of velvet being used during the Fauntleroy era. Velvet suits sometimes had a cotton backing.The image of a Fauntleroy suit is generally associated with velvet for boys wear, but velvet suits were worn well before the late-19th Century. Velvet is still considered a luxurious fabric, but now commonly made of various cotton-synthetic blends. We also see velvet being used as trim on coats and jackets. Color is more difficult to sort out. The black and white photography of the day suggest black, but other dark colors such as navy blue, bugundy, and forrest green would have looked like black in period portraits. Velvet as late as the late-19th and early-20th century was still a luxurious fabric made with at least some from silk and was very expensive. Modern immitation velvets are often made from synthetic fibers (acetate, nylon, rayon, and others).

Color

The colors of velvet suits ranged widely. Unfortunately the black and white photography of the day masks the color diversity. Dark muted colors were clearly the most common, but included many bright colors like red. These were most common in the early-19th century. By mid century we mostly see more muted colors. This is mist visible in the United States with its huge ohotiograohic record. It should be noted that the bulk of the American population at the time velvet was most common was located in the northern states with long winters and short summers. The bright colors seem most common before the 19th century or the very early-19th century. After that we tend to see darker or more muted colors. Black became the most common colors, but we also see very dark shades of blue, burgundy, brown, and green. We can generally discern black and white in the old photographs, but dark shades of some colors might look like black. Velvet of various colors, usually dark, was commonly used in the late 19th Century to produce better boys' party suits, especially Little Lord Fautntleoy suits. There were also light colors more common during the warm sumnmer months. These come out as grey shades in the opjotigrohic record. We are not sure as to the actual colors.

Chronology

Velvet has been used used for boys clothing since specialized boys clothing becamed widely accepted during the late-18th Century. Velvet was a popular material for the skeltons suiys appdaring in the late 18th century. We do not have much information on the early 19th century, but we do notice velvet suits in the mid-19th century. We notice younger boys in many different countries wearing velvet suits. Many images of boys in different countries are archived on HBC. We have not yet linked them here, but plan to do so. A good example is matching velvet suits worn by the Caplain brothers in France during the 1860s. We note two German brothers wearing identical velvet suits in 1864. We also note German brothers in the 1880s. And of course many of the Fauntleroy so popular in America during the late 19th century were velvet suits. In the 20th Century boys dress suits are sometimes made of velvet, especially Eton suits for small boys. It is particularly popular for boys suits around the Christmas holiday season. Velvet trim was commonly used for trim on the lapels of better coats for small children.

Country Trends

We notice younger boys from affluent families in many different countries wearing velvet suits. Velvet is a material that can often be identified in photographs, but not always with a total degree of accracy. Velvet was an expensive fabric and even cotton blends were expensive because of the production process. It was a fabric very much in demand because it had a plush feel and look. Affluent families in many different could afford it. We have found many photographic images fom a variety of countries wearing a range of velvet suits. Many images of boys in different countries are archived on HBC. We have not yet linked them here, but plan to do so. We note large numbers of American boys wearing velvet suits. They were especially common during the Faumtleroy era. Fauntleroy suits were more popular in America than any other country and we note a huge number of boys wearing these suits. Many were done in velvet. This reflected the industrial expansion of the United States and the explosion of wealth in the country. This is why Europeans by the millins came to America. A good example is an unidentified Canadian boy, we think in the 1860s. We note an unidentified English boy wearing a velvet suit in the 1870s. Another example is matching velvet suits worn by the Caplain brothers in France during the 1860s. We note two German brothers wearing identical velvet suits in 1864. We also note German brothers in the 1880s. We see more American boys earing velvet suits than in any other country. Here the Funtleroy Craze was a major factor. And of course many of the Fauntlroy so popular in America during the late 19th century were velvet suits.

Additional Information

• Fashion article: 1880
• Boyhood thoughts: 1890s
• Canadian suit: 1896
• Boyhood preferences: 1900s
• Fashion tends: 1920s
• Book editions
• Theatrical productions

Other Related HBC Pages:
[Fauntleroy dresses] [Collars] [Vivian Benett] [Fauntleroy patterns]
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[Ring Bearers] [Long hair] [Sasuage curls] [Hair bows] [Bangs] [Collars] [Bows]

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Created: April 11, 1999
Last updated: 5:06 AM 2/15/2025