Figure 1.-- This CDV portrait shows a boy about 4 years old wearing a wide-brimmed sailor hat and traditional sailor suit. Notice the hat streamers. There is writing on the back, but difficult to read. I think the boy's last name is Coos. The studio set is meant to depict a ship's mast. Sail still dominted the world's navies. The portrait is not dated, but the dealer estimated the 1870s and the sharp corners of the CDV also suggest n early date. The photographer was the well-known Thomas Fall in London. Put your cursor on the image to see the back.

Unlike many fashions, we know just who came up with the idea of the sailor suit and when. We know little about the early use of the sailor suit in England after it was worn by the Prince of Wales. While some boys wore sailor suits it does not appear to have been an important style for boys or girls. We are not sure why the style was not immediately adopted, especially given the respect felt for the Royal Navy and the interest of boys in it. English boys not only wore the traditional middy blouse style of sailor suit, but by the 1860s a variety ofother garments with sailor styling appeared. Sailor suit styles varied widely. Some were replicas of Royal Navy uniforms while others were more imaginative. The detailing on these suits also varied widely. Boys for example wore suits that had jackets with sailor styling. These suits by the 1870s were mostly knee pants suits, but many were done sith bloomer knickers. While the middy suits by the 1870s were also worn with knee pants, they were also widely available in long pants. By the 1870s the middy suit was virtually the only long pants suit that pre-teen boys might commonly wear. The ages of the boys wearing sailor suits also varied widely. By the 1870s the middy suit was virtually the only long pants suit that pre-teen boys might commonly wear. The ages of the boys wearing sailor suits also varied widely. Beginning in the 1880s that the sailor suit began to emerge as one of the most popular outfits for boys. While some mothers preferred fancier outfits like Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, the sailor suit had the advantage that boys, especilly during this era actually liked them. It is not entirely clear to me why it was during the 1880s that sailor suits emerged as such a popular style after being so little use for several decades. English boys wore sailor suits with both knee pants and long pants. I am not sure which was more common, but I think knee pants became increasingly common in the 1880s. While royal children and perhaps children from titled families might wear the suits with long bell-bottomed trousers like the Prince of Whales in the famous Winterhalter 1846 painting, we think ordinary boys were increasingly wearing knee pants suits. While the sailor suit was worn by relatively old boys in some countries, particularly Germany, this does not appear to have been the case in England.

Early-19th Century (1800-40)

We note some fashion authorities claiming that young boys began wearing sailor suits in the early-19th century. We have, howver, found no evidence of this. We have not noted any paintings or illustrations in fashion magazines showing boys wearing silor suits. Of course we do not yet have photogeaojy to provide images to show fashion trends. The first Daugerreotype appeared in France only at mid-century (1839). Wewould be very interested in any early examples of boys wearing sailor suits that readers know about. One reason that we are dountful us that the Royal Navy had not regularized uniforms for entlisted men (raitings) in the early-19th century., Officers had stadardized uniforms, but not enlisted men. This developed only by mid-century.

Early Victorian Era (1840-80)

Unlike many fashions, we know just who came up with the idea of the sailor suit ans when. We know little about the early use of the sailor suit in England after it was worn by the Prince of Wales. While some boys wore sailor suits it does not appear to have been an important style for boys or girls. We are not sure why the style was not immediately adopted, especially given the respect felt for the Royal Navy and the interest of boys in it. English boys not only wore the traditional middy blouse style of sailor suit, but by the 1860s a variety ofother garments with sailor styling appeared. Sailor suit styles varied widely. Some were replicas of Royal Navy uniforms while others were more imaginative. The detailing on these suits also varied widely. Boys for example wore suits that had jackets with sailor styling. These suits by the 1870s were mostly knee pants suits, but many were done with bloomer knickers. While the middy suits by the 1870s were also worn with knee pants, they were also widely available in long pants.

Late Victorian Era (1880-1900)

Beginning in the 1880s that the sailor suit began to emerge as one of the most popular outfits for boys. While some mothers preferred fancier outfits like Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, the sailor suit had the advantage that boys, especilly during this era actually liked them. It is not entirely clear to me why it was during the 1880s that sailor suits emerged as such a popular style after being so little use for several decades. English boys wore sailor suits with both kneepants and long pants. I am not sure which was more common, but we think knee pants became increasingly common in the 1880s. While royal children and perhaps children from titled families might wear the suits with long bell-bottomed trousers like the Prince of Wales in the famous Winterhalter 1846 painting, we think ordinary boys were increasingly wearing knee pants suits. While the sailor suit was worn by relatively old boys in some countries, particularly Germany, this does not appear to have been the case in England. The sailor suit was not commonly worn buy boys older than about 8 years of age. I believe this was primarily because in the late 19th Century the educational system was becoming more standardized. I am not positive about the conventions, but I believe that in affluent families that the sailor suit was often used for everyday wear. A boy might have a kilt outfit or Fauntleroy suit for his party suit. In less affluent families, a sailor suit might have to make do for the boys party suit.

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Created: 9:18 PM 1/19/2014
Last updated: 10:14 PM 7/24/2017