Figure 1.--Here we can see how rompers were a boys' garment, specifically a garment for pre-school boys. Here the younger boys who has not yet begun school wears rompers nd the older boy wo wears short pants has just begun school. We are not sure where these children are from. Rompers were ost common in France, but the snapshot here has a British look to it. The portrait is undated, but looks like the early 1950s to us.

We have only limited information about the conventions for wearing rompers. The original romper was a play suit. They appear to have been initially worn in the nursery or for play around the home. This was in many ways a revolution in children's wear. Children's clothes were not previously created for play. The romper was the first true play suit. This is a more revolutionary development than it may sound to the modern reader. Play was not an activity that was incouraged even as late as the 19th Century. Play was seen as a waste of time by many. Thus it was no accident that the pay suit appeared as our modern concepts of childhood and child rearing was emerging. The comfy romper which appeared at the turn of the century saw baby and younger children through many hours of unrestricted play. Although created as a play suit, dressier versions of the romper eventually appeared. I am not sure just when the romper was made into a dressy outfit. We have seen dressy rompers from the 1950s, but they presumably existed in earlier decades. Dressy styles eventually develoed so they could be worn at even formal occasions.

Play Suits

Children's rompers appeared in the 1910s. The original romper was a play suit. They appear to have been initially worn for play around the home. They were one piece costumes with bloomer legs of various lengths. Rompers were primarily a play costime, an alternative to smocks, another popular garment for chidren. They were light and loose fitting, a major change from the much more restricive clothing children wore during the 19th Century Victorian era. They are in many ways the first modern casual clothes for children. This was in many ways a revolution in children's wear. Children's clothes were not previously created for play. The romper was the first true play suit. This is a more revolutionary development than it may sound to the modern reader. Play was not an activity that was incouraged even as late as the 19th Century. Play was seen as a waste of time by many. Thus it was no accident that the pay suit appeared as our modern concepts of childhood and child rearing was emerging. The comfy romper which appeared at the turn of the century saw baby and younger children through many hours of unrestricted play. Play rompers were only worn by younger children and not school-age boys.

Schoolwear

Rompers were primarily for pre-school children. We do note, however, boys wearing them in nursery school and kindegrten. We very rarely see boys in the first year of primary school wearing them,but only rarely. We also note boys wearing them in school theatricals as a kind of costume. As regards school wear we note considerable country differences. Rompers were mostly worn in France and thus we see boys most commonly wearing them in French schools. They were not worn by French girls. In some other countries they were adopted as a gym uniform. This was particularly common for girls in in America. To a much less extent, boys in some countries wore them for gym.

Dressy Outfits

Although created as a play suit, dressier versions of the romper eventually appeared. I am not sure just when the romper was made into a dressy outfit. We have seen dressy rompers from the 1950s, but they presumably existed in earlier decades. Dressy styles eventually develoed so they could be worn at even formal occasions. Some mothers chose dressier more formal outfits in the romper style for a variety of outings. This was most common on the Continent, especially Italy and France. Dessy versions were worn by children up to 5 or 6 for very formal occasions during the 1940s and 50s. These are mostly expensive, handmade fashions. The dressy outfits often have Peter Pan collars or the most formal ones ruffled or lace collars. Plush velvets were the most popular materials for this style. They were often trimmed with lace around the collar front and bloomer pants. They were almost always worn with white knee or short socks with strap shoes or sandals. These dressy rompers were generally short, like the shorter cut short pants worn by French and Italian boys.