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.

Mens Suit, about 1880

This morning suit belonged to Willis C. Ward. He likely used it for a wedding or other special occasion. It is exquisitely made and looks to have been rarely used.Willis C. Ward was born in 1861 to one of Michigan's wealthest families of the 19th century. His father David Ward, made his fortune in lumber and acquired and sold timbered land throughout the United States.

Suit of Coat, Vest, and Trousers, about 1920-1940

According to our records, the suit belonged to Henry Ford.Born in 1863 on a farm in what is now Dearborn, Michigan, Henry Ford parlayed a youthful aptitude for engineering into a career as an automotive innovator and founder/president of Ford Motor Company. Among his ideas were the introduction of the first moving automobile assembly line, affordable pricing, fair wages for employees, and the vertical integration of manufacturing processes from raw materials to the finished product. His many phi…

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

Maternity Suit, about 1955

This suit was handmade by the donor's mother, Barbara Jean Thomas LaBarge, and worn during at least one of her two pregnancies from late 1952 to mid 1956.

Maternity Suit, about 1955

This suit was worn by the donor's mother, Barbara Jean Thomas LaBarge, during at least one of her two pregnancies from late 1952 to mid 1956.

Maternity Suit, about 1955

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 Jacket, 1840-1860

This is a good example of a mid-19th century boy's suit style, made for the "in between" years of a boy too young for an adult male-style trouser suit, and a radical departure from the kinds of suits worn by boys a century before. It might have been part of a spring suit, to be worn with cotton or linen trousers buttoned onto the jacket. It is also an excellent example of the use of velvet for boy's clothes from that era. The lack of seams in the center back also suggests an 1840-1860 constructi…

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 …

Dress Suit, about 1800

The Henry Ford's only late eighteenth/early nineteenth century dress jacket with breeches.No waistcoat to go with the suit.Worn for very formal occasions, perhaps even for presentation at court.Embroidery clearly pieced.First sewn, then cut out, and finally applied to the jacket and breeches.Poor extensive repairs for a modern wearer.Perhaps at one time used for twentieth century theater productions.

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 Sailor Suit, about 1925

Men's Leisure Suit, about 1970-1978

Trousers and trouser suits were popular fashions in the 1970s.The pant shapes began as gently flared and reached wide bell bottom proportions by about 1975. They then slowly reduced to straight and wide until by the end of the seventies they were finally narrow again. Also called leisure suits, they were typically made in heavy fabrics including include crepes, wool jersey knits and woven Polyester suiting such as in this suit.

Silk Moire Suit with Asymmetrical Closure, 1951

Navy blue silk moire suit. Asymmetrical closure with faceted jet buttons. Long sleeves, shallow cuffs, straight skirt. Clothing label: BALENCIAGA/10 AVENUE GEORGE V/PARIS. Handwritten on tag sewn on back of label: 36.938.

Woman's Grey Polka Dot Two Piece Suit, 1953

Medium gray suit, possibly silk and wool, woven with light gray dots. Bodice has standing collar edged with blue crepe. Elbow-length sleeves with fullness gathered into small cuff. Skirt snaps onto bodice. Three buttons continue down skirt to hipline. Lined with navy silk. Clothing label: PRINTEMPS-ETE 1953/Christian Dior/PARIS/MADE IN FRANCE. Stamped on label: 33795.