Skeleton suit
Unknown Artist
ca. 1820
Medium
cotton
Classification
Skeleton suit
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Gifts from Various Donors, 1983
Accession Number
1983.3.1a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the early 19th-century world of American childhood with this charming *Skeleton Suit*, crafted around 1820 from sturdy cotton. Popular from the late 1700s to the 183s, skeleton suits were designed for boys aged about two to eight, featuring high-waisted trousers buttoned to a short jacket—hence the "skeleton" frame. This practical ensemble marked a shift from the skirted dresses once worn by boys, signaling their transition to "little men" and embracing more active play. Made of cotton, a fabric booming in America thanks to Southern plantations and Northern mills, the suit highlight...