Civil War Era Children's Clothing - February 1865 Peterson's Magazine

Civil War Era Children's Clothing - February 1865 Peterson's Magazine

Children's Fashions

Fig 1 - Dress for a Boy of six or seven - Black felt hat with a blue grosgrain ribbon. Louis XIII jacket and breeches, of Havana cloth, trimmed with black velvet and velvet bows. Black cloth gaiters.

Fig 2 - Dress for a little Boy two years old - Blue velvet hat, with a large white feather. Velvet paletot and skirt, trimmed with swan's-down. Velvet gaiters.

Fig 3 - Costume for a Girl of nine - White cloth paletot, half-tight at the waist. At the bottom of the fronts, for a height of eight inches, are two broad bands of velvet having between them a lattice-work of velvet ribbon. The facings of the lapels, the collar and cuffs, are all velvet. At the end of the collar, on each side are chenille balls. All these velvet ornaments may, if desired, be replaced by silk, or even by cashmere. Round cap, of velvet, the same color as the ornaments of the cloak.

Fig 4 - Dress for a little Girl f ten or twelve - Felt cap with an aigrette. Jacket and frock of black velvet, trimmed with silk gimp and bands of sable fur.

Fig 5 - Dress for a Boy of six or seven - Velvet cap, with red feathers. Costume of gray cloth, trimmed with black worsted binding. Limp boots.

General Remarks - Children's clothes appear to be more simple in make than formerly. The most popular materials for little girls are poplin, (both silk and woolen,) cashmere, and velvet, and for little boys, light cloth and velvet. For babies, there is little that is novel; always the long robes, trimmed en tablier, the long cashmere pelisses, either lined and bordered with taffetas, or braided in soutache, with a fringe to the second cape, and a small hood for the head. It is in this small hood that the taste of the mother is generally displayed. Sometimes it is made of white cashmere, braided with white silk soutache, with white fringe at the edge of the curtain, sometimes in taffetas, with a double ruche round the face and curtain, sometimes in quilted satin, with a curtain fringed with white chenille. Of whatever material it is made, the hood has always the same form; the crown is soft, so that the infant may sleep without fear of crushing it; and added to this soft crown, there is a long curtain falling on the shoulders like a pelerine. For little boys, the Henry IV cap is the most fashionable; it is made of white felt, and is turned up at one side with a white satin ornament.

Little girls now wear either a paletot or half-fitting basquine, or else a circular of the same material as the dress. A hood is invariably added to the circular. For neglige, little girls wear, like their mammas, a marine jacket made of soft flannel, either white or red, according to taste. The poppy red is, just at this moment, the most fashionable color for children; dresses, senorita-jackets, and out-door coverings of every form, are all made in this bright shade. The hats are also trimmed with scarlet feathers.

The Sailor's Dress is now coming into vogue for little boys. It consists of full trousers gathered in at the knee, in the Knickerbocker style, a short, wide jacket, cut straight both back and front, and not descending lower than the waist, but opening with two large lapels on the chest. The sleeves of the jacket is very short, but white linen under-sleeves, which cover the wrist, are worn underneath. This costume is very elegant when made in back velvet; it is trimmed with jet, and sometimes with a border of Astracan fur.

Colored stockings are extremely fashionable for children; red, both in spun silk and wool, being the favorite color. Boots with tassels at the top are considered in the best taste. Gaiters of the same color as the dress are occasionally worn; but children, from two to four years of age, wear white knitted gaiters with clocks.