Description:
Boy's cotton, two-piece skeleton suit consisting of a combined coat and waistcoat, and a pair of high-waisted trousers. The coat and waistcoat top fastens down the center front using eight self fabric-covered wooden button. This kind of clothing gets its name from the form-fitting shape that displayed the contours of the body. They were easy to remove by unbuttoning a few of the wooden buttons. The jacket has a built-in vest and front bottons; the pants have a fall-front opening. A rare survival, this suit demonstrates Enlightenment ideals concering children's clothing; children are not (and should dress as) miniature adults, but require their own time to grow, and corresponding comfortable clothes.

Tags:
children

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.780

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