Many famous and not so famous men remember the clothing and hair styles they wore as boys. Not so many years ago it was all up to mom how junior was dressed. In some cases, especially in the late 19th and early 20th Century, moms in Europe and America let their imaginations run wild, choosing elaborate Fautleroy and kilt outfits for their darling sons. The wife in affluent families rarely worked and thus she had a great deal of time, and in some cases the assistance of nannies and governesses, to see to the care and dressing of their children. The results were very little boys kept in dresses. Ever after they passed out of dresses, little and not little boys done up in dress-like tunics and kilts and lacey Fautleroy suits and kilts as well as more manly sailor suits.

Considerable information is available on the clothing worn by political leaders, writers, musicians, actors, scientists, soldiers, artists, balet dancers, the chidren of celeberties, and nany other famous people. President Franklin Roosevelt wore dresses, Fauntleroy, and kilts until he was quite old. Earnest Hemmingway and his sister were put into matching dresses. Thomas Wolfe remembers his long curls. Many famous people from well to do families had similar experiences. While

Figure 1.--Future President Franklin in this picture taken with his father at about 6 years of age (1888) had his curls cut, but was still dressed in a kilt suit.

dresses and elaborate Fauntleroy suits generally disappeared after the First World War, British mothers still were partial to kilts and most European and some American boy grew up in short pants. A search of biographical material provides many interesting details on how boys were dressed in different historical periods.

This page is still under construction. Please return in a couple of weeks and it should be up an running. Incidentally if you have any historical information to add, do let me hear from you.

Note: Space limitations do not permit me to provide biographical informatiion I have collected on historical clothing. There will, however, be a great deal of additional information and many historical photographs on the expanded Boys Historical Clothing web site. For details click here >>>>>> Expanded Site.