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Sailor suits consisted primarily of a middy blouse and pants, but other garments were also involved. There were a variety of headwear in addition to the wide-brimmed hat that is coommonly associated with it. We note both sailor and non-sailor styled headwear. The middy blouse was by far the most important item for a sailor suit. The standard blouse had a :V"-front collar and back flap. This was the standard style adopted by the British Royal Navy and copied by navies aroud the world. Most of the detailing in any sailor suit was on the middy blouse. The most common detailing was stripes on the "V" front collar. The stripes were commonly repeaed on the back flap and sleeve cuff. They were mostly dne in blue and white, but there were other colors. Middy blouses were worn both with and without dickies. Most of the French sailor suits HBC has noted during the Edwadian era have been knee pants suits. A few boys wore sailor suits long pants. Younger boys wearing sailor tunics migh wear knicker-like bloomer pants. Knee pants were, however, much more common. Shorts pants were less common, appearing mostly after World War I (1914-18). We no longer see stripes on the knee pants as we noted in the late-19th century. Younger boys wearing the sailor tunics might wear them with lace trim and ruffles in the 1900s. Most of these fancy sailor outfits were the tunic suits, These fancy tunic suits declined in popularity during the 1910s. The tunic sailor suits style was very popular, but boys also wore suits similar to the tunic style, but with middy blouses rather than tunics.
We notice French boys wear ing a wide variety of headwear with sailor suits. Many boys wore their sailor suits with sailor styled caps and hats. This was, however, not a requirement. Many popular headwear styles were also worn not coordinated with sailor styling. Headwear was much more common than is the case today. Wide brimmed hats with back streamers were especially popular in the 1900s. A greater variety of headgear including more caps were worn in the 1910s.
The middy blouse was by far the most important item for a sailor suit. The standard blouse had a 'V'-front collar and back flap. This was the standard style adopted by the British Royal Navy and copied by navies aroud the world. Most of the detailing in any sailor suit was on the middy blouse. The most common detailing was stripes on the 'V'-front collar. The stripes were commonly repeaed on the back flap and sleeve cuff. Middy blouses were not always done with striped detailing, but it was very common. They were mostly done in blue and white, but there were other colors. Middy blouses were worn both with and without dickies. The button up blouses commom in the 19th century began to decline in popularity. The only that were still worn were formal suits. Increasingly we see boys wearing pull-over styles. We note both boys and girls wearing them.
Most of the French sailor suits HBC has noted during the Edwadian era have been knee pants suits. A few boys wore sailor suits long pants. Younger boys wearing sailor tunics migh wear knicker-like bloomer pants. Knee pants were, however, much more common. Shorts pants were less common, appearing mostly after World War I (1914-18). We no longer see stripes on the knee pants as we noted in the late-19th century.
Younger boys wearing the sailor tunics might wear them with lace trim and ruffles in the 1900s. Most of these fancy sailor outfits were the tunic suits, These fancy tunic suits declined in popularity during the 1910s. The tunic sailor suits style was very popular, but boys also wore suits similar to the tunic style, but with middy blouses rather than tunics. There were different styles of tunics, but sailor styling was especially important. It is a style especially associated with the early 20th century.
Many boys wore sailor suits with no noticeable belt. As with tunics suits, however, belts were often an important stylictic feature of sailor suits.
Some boys wore free hanging or bowed scarves of various colors. Other boys had their scarves tied in neat compact form.
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