Sailor suit
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.
Artwork Details
- Title: Sailor suit
- Date: first quarter 20th century
- Culture: American
- Medium: wool, cotton
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Edle M. Andersen Lieberman, 1989
- Object Number: 2009.300.3389a–d
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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Multiple artists/makers
late 1960s
F. Scholte
H. Harris
1938–65
American
1940s
Stephen Burrows
ca. 1971
Miguel Adrover
2000
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