Ensemble

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This boy's ensemble encompasses the historicism that was so prevalent in the 1890s and 1900s. The shirt refers to those worn by partisans of King Charles I of England (reign 1625-49) known as Cavaliers. These gentlemen were well bred and their style consisted of long hair, colorful clothes with elaborate trimmings and lace collars and cuffs, and plumed hats. Their refined dress made them dandies of the time, as would this ensemble, when worn by a young boy. Obviously, this was a special-occasion garment, due to its pristine condition.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art