French Rompers: Colors


Figure 1.--Here we see a French boy in 1954 playing with blocks. He looks to be about 3 years old and wears a classic romper suit with a Peter Pan collar. Notice the short sweaters often worn with rompers. It is difficult to be sure, but this one looks like it is swhite. Pastel colors were standard, especially sky blue but we also see white romper outfits.

Rompers were made in a wide range of solid colors, although most were either white or blue. The vast majority of French rompers were either white or blue, especislly light blue. Both white and many shades of blue were very popular colors for rompers. By far the most common color for solid colored rompers was blue. A French reader reports that "blue was preferred by most mothers". We have noted references to rompers in bright colors such as red and yellow. We have not yet been able to find any images of these bright colors. A french reader remembers seeing pink rompers as a boy, but he did not like them, preferring white and ciel (light blue). The lighter color pastel shades and patterns used for school smocks were also used for rompers as well as shirts. The darker colors like black and dark blue, however, as far as we can tell were never used for rompers. Rompers were, however, made in white which was not used for French school smocks. A French reader tell us, "I wore rompers as a boy in the late 1940s. I had both summer and winter rompers. Some had separate blouses. The one-piece ones had buttons at the back and a bow. The colors I most remember were light blue (sky) and yellow."

Beige

Rimpers were made in beige. A French reader recalls a family his family was frienfly with in the 1950s. Their young son wore rompers, ikncluding a beige knitted romper suit.

Blue

The vast majority of French rompers were either white or blue, especislly light blue, often caleed ciel in French. Both white and many shades of blue were very popular colors for rompers. By far the most common color for solid colored rompers was blue. A French reader reports that "blue was preferred by most mothers". While our photographic zrchive is limited, we note that the vast majority of photographs we have noted while black and white do look like the rompers were light blue. A French reader tell us, "I wore rompers as a boy in the late 1940s. I had both summer and winter rompers. Some had separate blouses. The one-piece ones had buttons at the back and a bow. The colors I most remember were light blue (sky) and yellow."

Green


Pink

A french reader remembers seeing pink rompers as a boy, but he did not like them, preferring white and ciel (light blue). He writes, "I recall seeing pink rompers as a boy in the late 1940s. The color was also adopted for men's shirts as well. I dind't like this color when I was boy, I prefered the ciel or white. I remember my Parents made ' costume bloomer in popeline and corduroy in white, yellow, and also in pink. The size was from 1 till 4 years. My son in the 1960s wore both rompers and costume bllomers. In a family photo he is wearing a pink romper suit. He was about 18 months or 2 years of age at the time.

Red

We have also noted references to rompers in bright colors such as red and yellow. We have not yet been able to find any images of these bright colors.

Yellow

We have also noted references to rompers in bright colors such as red and yellow. We have not yet been able to find any images of these bright colors. A French reader, however recalls as a boy seeing quite a numper of yellow rompers.

White

French rompers wsere also made in white. In available photographic images, it is often difficult to tell if the rompers are white or light blue. We believe that white was often used for very young boys. White was also used to make more formal rompers to be worn as dressy outfits. Rompers were, however, made in white which was not used for French school smocks.

Patterns

There were also some patterened rompers in a variety of colors. The most common pattern was gingham ("vichy" in French). There were some other patterns, mostly material selected by mothers who made their children's clothes. We have noted, for example, flowered patterns. There were also a wide range of other patterns used, but these were not common. While some boys wore these flowered pattererns the kind of checked or plaid gingham was much more common. We do not yet have any information on the extent to which the popularity of different colors and patterns varried over time. Many of the same colors and patterns used for smocks were also used for rompers.








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Created: 8:58 PM 10/28/2004
Last updated: 2:43 PM 10/27/2017