Releasing the Eton Schoolboy in Your Tot
Dear Fashion Police: I am looking for an Eton suit for my 31/2-year-old grandson. He will be a ring bearer at a mid-October wedding in New York City (I live in California). I remember purchasing one for my son many years ago, also for a wedding. I do feel little boys look adorable in short pants, hence my desire for a navy blue wool Eton suit.
--DOTING GRANDMA
Dear Doting: There’s no denying the adorableness of the Eton suit, which is a collarless jacket, matching short pants and a white shirt with a Peter Pan collar. Variations include a double-breasted jacket and longer pants.
The original Eton suits were worn by young schoolboys at Eton College in Windsor, England, from the late 1700s to the mid-1960s. They consisted of a cropped jacket with wide lapels and a white shirt with a large starched collar, a dark, narrow tie and a vest. The jackets were blue or red until 1820, when they changed to black in mourning for King George III. The suits became so popular that even boys who didn’t attend Eton wore them. They eventually evolved into a formal suit for very young boys in America and England, popular for occasions such as weddings. (By the way, Princes William and Harry are Eton boys, although Wills has graduated.)
We found two Eton suits for you, though unfortunately neither is wool. Pegeen, an Ironia, N.J.-based manufacturer of children’s special occasion clothes, has a double-breasted suit for $180 in douppioni silk with a white silk shirt. It comes in a plethora of colors. You can find them on the Web at https://www.pegeen.com or call (973) 442-0799.
Snips ‘n’ Snails offers a three-button navy Eton suit in poly/rayon for $79 and a short-sleeve white cotton/poly shirt for $18. The Midlothian, Va.-based company is online at https://www.snipsnsnails.com or call (804) 594-2300.
Dear Fashion Police: I have some broomstick-type skirts that are currently hanging in my closet. They’re comfortable, perfect for travel, yet ... I fear they may be too out of fashion. What does one do with them? Some skirts are pleated, some crinkled and some have a clean, straight look.
--TRYING NOT TO BE A FASHION DON’T
Dear Trying: The prognosis for some of your skirts isn’t good, we’re afraid. The typical broomstick skirt--loose and crinkly with an ankle-length hem--is just not around this season. The look is a little too gypsy-in-my-soul, and this fall and winter it’s all about a more tailored look featuring clothes that fit closer to the body--smooth knits, skirts with a slight A-line or ones that hang straight from waist to hem.
We have seen pleated skirts, in the form of short-short styles with little inset pleats, as well as longer skirts (to the knee or ankle) with all-around pleats. In both cases the look is still pared-down--the skirts don’t look casual and the pleats aren’t voluminous. If that’s the look of your pleated skirts, wear them proudly. And if the clean, straight ones are truly clean and straight, they’ll be fine, too.
As for tops, they’re body-conscious, too. Among the choices are V-neck wrap tops with side ties, snug sweaters (everything from turtlenecks to cardigans to jewel-neck tunics) to man-tailored blouses (some with a bit of stretch added). And don’t forget your boots! Those or clogs, round-toed flats or low-heeled pumps are suitable shoes.
From the Fashion Police Blotter: We were pleased to see that retail chain J.C. Penney Co. decided last week to pull a back-to-school commercial so disturbing that the first time we watched it our jaw dropped and hung there for the duration of the ad. For those of you who missed it, it featured a mother with her teenage daughter, who’s wearing a pair of low-cut jeans. “You’re not going to school dressed like that, are you?” asks the mother, who then proceeds to tug the jeans down even farther, well below the waist, exposing a wide band of skin under the girl’s bellybutton.
After some public controversy, Penney said it decided to scrap the ad in response to “the opinion of its customers nationwide,” the company said.
*
Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888 or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.
