Anchors Aweigh!

Thursday, December 3^rd at 7:00 pm, the Sage Costume Collection at Indiana University will present a free lecture open to the public at the Monroe County History Center. Titled “The Sailor Suit: Icon of American Childhood”, Assistant Curator Kelly Richardson and Curator Kate Rowold will explore the history and meaning of a classic children’s look: the sailor suit.

Introduced in 1846 via a painting of the Prince of Wales (the future Prince Albert VII), the sailor suit sustained great levels of popularity with American families in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. While the high esteem of this ensemble in Great Britain was tied to national identity and pride, the sailor suit (and its many variations) in the United States was wildly popular because of its ease of movement and manufacture, as well as its undisputable “cuteness”.

Albert Edward Prince of Wales, watercolor, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1846.

Vanished from the wardrobe of older boys by the 1930s, the sailor look lived well on into the 20^th century in girls’ apparel, women's sportswear, and infant's and young children's clothing.

McCall pattern #7938, 1934

Sears catalog, Spring and Summer 1959, page 99.

Sears catalog, Spring and Summer 1959, page 400.

In advertising and the media, sailor suits were worn by Shirley Temple, Cracker Jack, Donald Duck, Raggedy Andy, and Popeye, and used to sell a diverse array of products. The sailor “look” and its individual elements such as the square collar, nautical motifs, and necktie are gleaned by designers and inspire high-fashion looks as seen in the 2007 exhibition Sailor Chic at London’s National Maritime Museum.

John Galliano, Fall 2009

At present, sailor suits for the very young are still available, but most are designed for special occasions such as christenings and weddings. Instantly recognizable, the sailor suit now functions as a symbol of innocent childhood, a charming image of a child at play in an adult role.

Did you wear a sailor suit as a child? Do you have photographs of your ancestors or relatives in sailor suits? Share your childhood clothing memories here!

Christening gowns

Long baptismal or christening gowns have been an essential part of the christening ceremony at least since the nineteenth century. The earliest were made of silk, gradually replaced by lavishly embroidered white-on-white fine cotton or linen. The gowns were very long, designed to show off the elaborate handiwork as the infant was cradled in its mother's arms during the christening ceremony. The basic shape and silhouette of the gowns followed fashionable female dress of the time, and there was no difference between gowns worn by infant boys and infant girls. Several sources note that a pointed extension overlapping the waist seam on the bodice might be worn out if the gown was worn by a male child, and inserted into a hidden opening if the child was female. Constructed to be worn by a number of different-sized family members, the gown's fit was adjusted by tiny drawstrings at the neck and waist. Often handed down through many generations, a christening gown can be a family's most treasured possession.

Today, some families mark this ceremonious occasion with new ensembles for the very smallest members of their families. Options range from luxury silk christening ensembles from Christian Dior, and miniature christening tuxedos and blue-trimmed christening sailor suits for boys.

The christening gown on the seated mannequin(left) is the Sage family christening gown, made in France, from about 1870. The bodice of this dress was replaced at a later date, and the original bodice remains at the Sage Collection. Elizabeth Sage, the Sage Costume Collection's namesake, was the first professor of clothing and textiles at Indiana University. Recruited from Cornell University in 1913, Elizabeth Sage was an early proponent of the academic study of dress and appearance. Author of one of the first costume history textbooks, A Study of Costume From the Days of the Egyptians to Modern Times, published in 1926, Elizabeth Sage collected textile and clothing samples for classroom use. This collection of samples was donated to Indiana University upon her retirement in 1937, forming the basis of the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection. Formally in existence for more than 70 years, collecting has been ongoing for nearly one hundred years.

Long appreciated for their beautiful handiwork and craftsmanship, christening gowns are prized by collectors interested in exquisite lace and fine textiles. Do you collect christening gowns? Does your family have a special christening gown that has been handed down through generations?

Yee-Haw!

Children's western wear became very popular in the 1940s and 1950s, due to the widespread appeal of cowboys such as Gene Autry, Dale Evans, and Roy Rogers. This fancy boys' ensemble, by Roy Rogers, features fringe, contrasting cuffs and yoke, embroidery, and a laced neckline. At this point in time, pink was still viewed as an acceptable color for boys, and singing television and film cowboys (and cowgirls) appeared in elaborate western ensembles in shades of lime green, red, and bright purple. A comparable girls' outfit of the time would most likely have included a skirt instead of pants.

Roy Rogers cowboy ensemble, c. 1950, Sage Costume Collection # 1978.116 AB.


Cowboy outfits could also be made at home, as shown in this 1949 home sewing pattern from the McCall Pattern Company.



McCall Pattern #1504, 1949, Sage Costume Collection # 2000.777.


Official Roy Rogers and Dale Evans cowboy gear could be purchased at Sears, as shown in this advertisement from the Sears Spring and Summer 1959 catalog.



Sears Spring and Summer catalog, 1959, page 452, Sage Costume Collection # 19.2232.

Acknowledgement of a child's need for play occurred in the 19th century, alongside the Victorian love of costume and fancy dress balls. Today, children are facilitated in their imaginative play by the wide range of costumes available to purchase, and it is not unusual to see children out in public wearing superhero, pirate and fairy ensembles long after Halloween. Did you have a favorite dress-up/costume ensemble as a child? Do your children enjoy dressing up on a daily basis?