The Victorian Era

What Did Victorian Children Wear?

Article · Fashion & Dress · The Victorian Era, 1837–1901

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Victorian children wore a wide variety of clothes, and the clothes that they wore depended on their class, their region, their gender, their age, and the period in which they were born. The clothes of the upper and middle classes were elaborate, expensive, and subject to fashion, and the clothes of the working class were plain, practical, and inexpensive. The history of children’s clothing is examined in Victorian Children’s Clothing, and the broader context of childhood in the period is set out in What was life like for a Victorian child?.

The Baby Clothes

The baby of the Victorian period was dressed in a long, white dress, often of fine cotton, silk, satin, lawn, or lace, the dress long enough to cover the baby’s feet. The baby was wrapped in a long, white shawl, and the head was covered with a long, white, elaborate cap. The baby was also wrapped in a long, white flannel binder, and the nappy was changed frequently. The baby clothes of the period were the subject of elaborate attention, and the baby was often photographed, illustrated, and described in the women’s magazines of the period.

The christening gown of the period was the most important item of baby clothes, and it was a major family heirloom. The christening gown of the period was generally a long, white dress of fine cotton, silk, satin, lawn, or lace, trimmed with lace, ribbon, embroidery, insertion, pin-tucks, or smocking. The christening gown was often made by the mother, the grandmother, the aunt, or a professional dressmaker, and it was passed down through the family as an heirloom. The long white christening gown became fashionable after Queen Victoria used one for her own children, the Princess Victoria in 1840 and the Prince of Wales in 1841, and the convention was gradually adopted by the upper and middle classes. The history of the christening gown is examined in What was a Victorian christening gown?.

The Toddler Clothes

The toddler of the Victorian period was dressed in a way that emphasised the new idea of childhood. The little girl wore a short, white dress of fine cotton, silk, satin, lawn, or lace, trimmed with lace, ribbon, embroidery, insertion, pin-tucks, or smocking. The little girl also wore a small bonnet, a small pair of boots or shoes, a small pair of stockings, and a small pair of mittens. The little boy wore a short, elaborate suit, often of velvet, silk, satin, or wool, trimmed with braid, buttons, lace, or embroidery, together with a small shirt, a small collar, a small tie, a small pair of trousers, a small pair of boots or shoes, a small pair of stockings, and a small cap.

The Skeleton Suit and the Tunics

The skeleton suit, a one-piece outfit of trousers joined to a jacket by buttons or tapes down the front, was the standard dress of the toddler boy from about one to four years old, in pale blue or pink cotton or wool. From about the age of four, the little boy was put into a tunic suit — a high-collared jacket with a belt or sash at the waist, worn over matching trousers — until the breeching at five to seven. Before breeching, both boys and girls wore frocks, and the distinction between the sexes was carried by minor variations in cut and trim.

The Pinafore

The pinafore, a sleeveless or short-sleeved overdress gathered at the back and tied at the waist, was worn by both boys and girls over their other clothes to keep them clean. Pinafores were the working dress of the nursery, worn for play, for meals, and for lessons. The pinafore was generally of white cotton or linen for best, and of gingham, print, or holland for everyday. Older girls continued to wear pinafores over their dresses well into their school years.

The Schoolboy’s Suit

The schoolboy of the Victorian period wore a more sober version of the adult suit. He wore a jacket, a waistcoat, a shirt, a collar, a tie, trousers, boots or shoes, and a cap. The jacket, waistcoat, and trousers were usually made of the same fabric, and they were cut by a tailor to the measurements of the wearer. The shirt was made of white cotton or linen, starched and laundered. The collar was a separate piece, either attached to the shirt or detachable, starched to a stiffness that would have been familiar to a generation of office workers in the twentieth century. The schoolboy’s suit was the forerunner of the school uniform, which became increasingly common in the late Victorian period, with the Eton suit of a short black jacket and matching shorts emerging as the standard for the middle-class schoolboy by the 1890s.

The Schoolgirl’s Dress

The schoolgirl of the Victorian period wore a more sober version of the adult dress. She wore a dress, a petticoat, a chemise, a pair of drawers, a pair of stockings, a pair of boots or shoes, and a bonnet. The dress was usually made of a sturdy fabric, often a wool, a cotton, a linen, a flannel, or a serge, trimmed with braid, buttons, lace, or embroidery. The schoolgirl’s dress, like the schoolboy’s suit, was increasingly standardised as a school uniform in the late Victorian period.

The Sailor Suit

The sailor suit was a particular feature of Victorian children’s clothing, and it became fashionable for both boys and girls in the late Victorian period. The suit was modelled on the uniform of the Royal Navy, with its wide collar, its wide cuffs, its wide trousers, and its blue and white stripes. The sailor suit was popularised by Queen Victoria, who dressed the young Prince of Wales in a miniature version of the uniform of the Royal Navy in the 1840s, and the fashion was gradually adopted by the upper and middle classes. The sailor suit was associated with the seaside holiday, with the yacht, and with the new cult of the sea, and it was one of the most distinctive children’s fashions of the late Victorian period.

The Cloak and the Coat

The cloak and the coat of the Victorian period were an essential part of the children’s wardrobe. The cloak was generally a long, hooded cloak of wool, velvet, or silk, worn over the dress or the suit. The coat was generally a short coat of wool, velvet, or silk, worn over the dress or the suit. Both were trimmed with braid, buttons, lace, embroidery, fur, or feathers. The history of the cloak and the coat is examined in Victorian Children’s Clothing.

The Boots and the Shoes

The boots and the shoes of the Victorian period were an essential part of the children’s wardrobe. The boots were generally ankle boots, half boots, or button boots, often highly polished. The shoes were generally low shoes, Oxford shoes, or bluchers, in polished leather, patent leather, kid, or suede. The boots of the working class were made of heavy leather, in a sturdy style. The history of the boot and the shoe is examined in Victorian Children’s Clothing.

The Working-Class Child’s Clothes

The working-class child of the Victorian period wore a much more limited wardrobe than the middle-class child. The working-class boy generally wore a shirt of coarse cotton or linen, trousers of corduroy, moleskin, fustian, or heavy cotton, heavy leather boots, and a flat or peaked cap. The working-class girl generally wore a plain dress and pinafore of similar coarse cotton or linen, sturdy boots, and a simple cotton or straw bonnet.