by Lesley Drayton, Curator, Fort Collins Local History Archive
One of my favorite authors as a child was Frances Hodgson Burnett, who penned such children’s classics as The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. While she was entertaining the masses with her wonderful stories, however, she also had a surprising impact on fashion with her 1886 tale Little Lord Fauntleroy. Cedric, the story’s central character, wore elaborate velvet outfits with ruffled collars; this “Fauntleroy Suit” became a major fad for American middle-class children’s formal wear, lasting into the early 20th century.
Fort Collins boys were not exempt from this fashion trend. Check out these stylish lads:
Carleton Children, left to right: Guy S., Mary Loa, and Clyde Otis
Claude Covington
Conrey Children, left to right: Edith (standing), Arthur, Stephen, Frank, and Charles
Melissa and Ralph Giddings, Sr, from an oil painting owned by the Giddings family
I wonder how many of these suits can still be found in local attics?
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