Figure 1.--The Aux Trois Quartiers department store in October 1933 offered two styles of coats for younger boys beginning at age 2 years. One was a sailor-styled reefer jacket and the other a classic child's coat. Note the two styles of headwear.
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Figure 1.--The Aux Trois Quartiers department store in October 1933 offered two styles of coats for younger boys beginning at age 2 years. One was a sailor-styled reefer jacket and the other a classic child's coat. Note the two styles of headwear. |
The Aux Trois Quartiers department store in Paris offered one style of sailor suit in 1933, but it was available in both blue and white and with long and short pants. It was sold in sizes from 3 years up, but the larger sizes are not spevcified.
The ad copy reads, "SU. 6034. Marin très belle qualité de serge, façon spéciale simple pont, blouse bleue 3 ans ... Fr 175. Le méme blouse blanche 3 ans ... Fr 195. Avec double pont blouse bleue 3 ans ... Fr 195. Le méme blouse blanche 3 ans ... Fr 225. 5 Fr en plus par áge. Avec pantalon long suppléments 20 & 30 Frs." This would translate as something like, "Very beautiful sailor suit, quality serge, special way simple [pont?], blue blouse, size 3 years... Fr 175. The same with white blouse 3 years... Fr 195. With double [pont?] blue blouse 3 years... Fr 195. The same in white blouse 3 years... Fr 225. 5 Fr addition for each year in larger sizes. With long trousers supplements 20 & 30 Frs." I'm still not sure what the simple and double "pont" refers to, but it appears to be the drop down front pannel
The sailor suit is a clasically styled sailior suit. The suit includes the blouse and poants. It appears to be a button-on style. It is not clear from the text to what size these suits were made, but a French reader tells HBC that to about age 12 would be likely.
Note how the garments are priced by the age of the child with the larger sizes requiring more fabric, slightly more expensive. This is coomon in French clothing ads through the 1930s. Clothes are no longer priced like this. HBC believes that this is in part a reflection that in the fabric was once a much more important component of production costs than today when the labor and marketing costs involved are the major cost, except for especially luxurious fabrics. In this case notice that the white suit is more expensice, HBC is ubsure why that was the case.
The cap is not mentioned, but the one pictured is the old-style flat cap style without streamer. We have seen these caps advertized in the mid 1930s, but by the end of the decade had been repaced by older styles. This style was popular among World War I era navies.
HBC makes every effort to translate the French ad cpy as it often includes interesting details about the garments. We here at HBC do not speak French, but we know many French terms. Our French readers assistvas best they can. The ad copy because they often use dated or trade words are not easy to translate. We encourage readers to comment on the translations if they have any insights or comments.
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