Little Boy's Three Piece Suit

Child’s three piece suit consisting of knee length pants, short jacket, and white ruffled shirt. Pants and jacket made of blue velvet. Jacket has hook and eye closure at neck, quilted lining, short waist. Pants have button flap front closure, buttonholes on waist paint to secure shirt, three decorative brass buttons on side of pant leg. Shirt has pointed collar, button cuffs, ruffles on placket front, and three buttons at waist to secure to pants. Circa 1900-1929.

Girl's Dress, 1880-1885

Straight, low-waisted, heavily knife-pleated girl's silhouette dresses were very common in the early 1880's; men's suit fashions were also often reflected in women's clothing of the period.

Boy's Vest and Pants

Boy's Suit, about 1820

The military-looking Eton-style suit was common for young boys in the 19th Century and was used for school or special occasions. This rare example belonged to the Mitchell family of rural New York State (as did the very similar suit numbered 35.596.57). The jacket front is very typical of those worn around 1820. This is a variation of the skeleton suit in which the trouser buttons attached to a shirt or braces rather than the jacket.

Boy's Suit, 1820-1830

The Eton-style suit was common for young boys in the 19th Century and was used for school or special occasions. This rare and rather expensive example belonged to the Mitchell family of rural New York State (as did the very similar suit numbered 35.596.5).The jacket front is very typical of those worn around 1820. The suit is nicely made but not exquisitely so; it is all hand-sewn and of lovely silk fabric. This is a variation of the skeleton suit in which the buttons on the waistband attach to …

Boy's Suit and Blouse, 1885-1900

According to the source of purchase, this conventional young boy's black knicker suit belonged to the Linsley Simpson family of Northford, Connecticut. Such Fauntleroy suits became popular after the publication of Frances Hodgson Burnett's "Little Lord Fauntleroy" in 1886. It is not likely that this blouse originally accompanied it - the knickers have buttonholes in the waistband for attaching a blouse waist, and this blouse has no buttons.

Boy's Knicker Suit, about 1860

The jacket and sleeves of this suit are reminiscent of 1860s zouave suits so popular around the time of the Civil War. It was likely used for summer wear.

Boy's Velveteen Norfolk Knicker Suit, 1890-1910

Brown velveteen Norfolk knicker suit. Collar-less, round-necked, double-breasted jacket faced with cotton and silk satin. Opens on right side; two rows of mother-of-pearl buttons, one functional. Two pleats on front, one pleat on back, with self-fabric belt passing through openings in pleats. Two patch pockets. Set-in sleeves, no cuffs. Straight-legged knickers with one snap at each hip. Inner waist band of white muslin with buttonholes. Two darts in back. Small open fly at inseam has been hand-…

Boy's Suit, about 1892

This suit was worn by William Deuel Hailes of Albany, New York.

Boy's Suit, about 1920

This is a fine example of an early-to-mid 20th Century knicker suit for a young man of about age ten.

Boy's Suit, 1940

According to the donor, this suit was worn by Richard Royhans Johnson for his first communion, most likely at Visitation Church in Highland Park, Michigan (Johnson was born in Marion, Indiana in the spring of 1941 or 1942). It is a nice example of a shorts suit for a boy moving up from a knicker suit.