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The History of the Boys Sailor Suit
History of the Boys Sailor Suit
One of the most popular boys clothing styles in history is the boys sailor suit.
The sailor suit is one of the most classic styles for boys clothing. Originally the sailor suit was conceived in England and it soon became an internationally accepted style. The timing coincided with the classic enlisted man's uniform which was first worn by the Prince of Wales in 1846 when the Royal Navy began to standardize naval uniforms. The classic sailor suit or boys sailor suit has changed very little over time, although the pants worn with it have changed. There have been many variations on the classic clothing style first worn by British princes and later by commoners throughout Europe and America.
Royal Navy Uniform
The boy's sailor suit was first inspired by the Royal Navy uniform. Until the mid-19th century, military uniforms lacked uniformity and the styles and even colors could vary substantally based on the period and whim of the clothing contractor and vessel captain.
HISTORY OF THE SAILOR SUIT
The sailor suit appeared as boys clothing in the mid-19th century. It became quite popular in Europe. The classic style was based on the uniform of English sailors. By the mid 19th century many styles emerged. By the late 19th century the classic sailor suit had become the most widely accepted style for boys in both Europe and America. After the 20th century the sailor suit became more popular as a classic style for younger boys, although older boys did continue to wear them into the the early 1900's in some European countries. The popularity of the sailor suit has seen a resurgence of late, as people long for more classic clothing styles for boys and children. It is now often seen in apparel for younger boys and is considered appropriate formal attire for young boys at weddings or First Communions.
Sailor Suits - Style History
There have been several variations of sailor suits over the years. Some modifications have been to adopt the styling of the national navy in several countries including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines. Changes were also made to the classic bell-bottom trousers to reflect the trousers more commonly worn by boys in different historical periods. Some suits appeared in typical naval officer designs, but the classic style of the enlisted sailor remains the standard for most sailor suits.
Sailor Kilts and Girls Sailor Dresses
Younger boys in the late-19th century and early 20th century wore kilted sailor suits and dresses with middy blouse affects. Similar outfits were also worn by little girls. The kilted sailor suits were often plain as were some of the sailor dresses made for boys.
Sailor tunics
One of the most popular style of tunics in turn of the century America were sailor tunics. They were worn by younger boys who had outgrown the little boys sailor suit look, but who were not quite ready for a more boyish knee pants suit.
Striped or Seersucker Sailor Suits
Striped sailor suits appeared in the late 1800s and were very popular in the 1890s. They were white suits with blue stripes. They were worn in the summer.
Middy suit
The classic middy suit appeared in the 1870s and was usually worn with kneepants and long stockings. White suits made of linnen or other light fabric were worn in the summer. Blue and black suits made of serge or flannel were worn during the winter. The better suits were lined.
Jack Tar suit
Queen Victoria's sons were initially dressed in Jack Tar suits with bell-bottom long trousers.
Double-breasted suits
Some sailor suits in the late 19th Century were made with double-breasted styling. They were popular before classic middy blouse styling had become an accepted standard. The double-breasted suits were not much seen after the turn of the 20th Century.
Reefer jacket
Short jackets generally in the doublebreasted style were worn by boys during the winter. The term reefer refers to the task of deploying or taking in the sails. The sailors needed short jackets while working aloft. The reefer jackets they wore are also believed to have been the inspiration for the blazer.
Solid color suits
One elegant style of sailor suit appeared in the late 1890s. It was a solid color suit without any stripes are embelishments. These suits appeared in both navy blue and white. Some of the navy suits might have white dickeys are other appointments. These suits were popular through the 1900s and early 1910s.
Sailor Suit Accessories
A complete sailor suit consisted of a sailor hat or cap, middy blouse, long or short pants, skirts (for girls and small boys), and a sailor hat. Brass whistles were sometimes worn as well. The wide brimmed-sailor hat in fact became so popular that boys wore it with many other garments such as Little Lord Fauntleroy suits or Buster Brown suits. Dickeys were used to cover the space between the "v" of the sailor collars of the middy blouses. The origin of the bow was the black silk neckerchief originally worn by seamen and called a "sweat rag." Boys in the Victorian era wore either long or short pants with their middy blouse. Some of the earliest sailor suits had long trousers, often with bellbottom trousers like those actually worn by British seamen. Sailor suits were worn with long stockings or socks depending on the chronological period and or season. Boys shoes worn with the sailor suits varied.
Detailing
The detailing on the classic sailor suit was always three stripes on the collar and back flap which were sometimes repeated on the cuffs. Nautical motifs might appear at the front "v" on the dickey or shirt worn under the middy blouse and sometimes in the corners of the back flap. Other than these details, the sailor suit was quite plain. While this was the classic style, many variations appeared. Some of the more elaborate variations were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Boys Hair Styles
Boys wore sailor suits with many different hair styles. Generally a sailor suit was deemed apropriate only after he had his hair cut short. The cutting of a boy's hair was a major step for the child. Many boys in the late 19th century had long hair, some times worn in ringlet curls. The cutting of a boy's hair was generally up to the mother. Some boys continued to wear long hair well after they were potty trained, often with fancy Little Lord Fauntletoy party suits. With few exceptions, however, a boy's hair would almost always be cut when he was oufitted for a sailor suit. Even for a sailor dress his hair might be cut.
CHOIR UNIFORMS
Sailor suits were worn by many German boy choirs, but not choirs in England and France. Some German and Austrian choirs still wear sailor suits.
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