Sailor suit

American

Not on view

The sailor suit came in many dress versions, making it appropriate for any time of day and any season. It was a hugely popular style for boys because it expressed patriotism and pride in the male child. These variations were extremely popular for boys in the late-19th and early-20th century. The Prince of Wales was painted by Winterhalter in 1846 wearing a sailor suit, which initiated its wide popularity and continued unabated through the mid-20th century. Also interesting to note, the great American designer Norman Norell channeled his aesthetic from a sailor suit that he had fond memories of wearing as a boy.

Sailor suit, wool, cotton, American

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.