French Rompers: Conventions--Play Outfits


Figure 1.--This 1955 photograph shows two twins in light colored rompers who have tagged along with their older brothers. Note the back tieing bows on the rompers. The boys in rompers look to be 4-5 years old.

Rompers were primarily a play suit. Play rompers might be worn at home or in trips to the park or beach. In the 1940s and early 50s it was common to see pre-school boys in rompers tagging after their older brothers who were usually wearing short pants. Dressy rompers might be worn to a party. Boys did not wear rompers to school. Once school started boys would normally stop wearing rompers. Boys being home schooled might wear romers longer than those going to school. Some boys for a year or so after they began school might wear rompers after school for play but this was not common. At this time we do not have details on the styles of rompers involved. The colors we have noted all tend to be light colors--especially light blue. The play rompers almost always have been light colored outfits. A lot of the paly outfits we have noted in the 1940s and 50s were pnepiece suits.

A HBC readers comments, "This is a very informative image. The twins in the rompers are wearing what appears to be white ankle socks folded down to the sandals althogh it is difficult tell tell in this rather poor-quality image. Their hair is cut in what would be an early 1960s American affluent style that the Kennedy's personified, in fact it looks very much like John John's hair style. The older boys have one in white knee socks who may be wearing a smock, another in sneakers (I think they are sneakers) and others in some sort of light jacket with an elastic back. They seem to be in sandals also."







Christopher Wagner





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Created: October 15, 2001
Last updated: October 15, 2001