Figure 1.-- As a little boy at home I commonly wore a play dress ( Spielhöschen ). This snap shot shows me in a Spielhöschen . These out fits are called rompers in America and barboteuses in France. I am 3 years old in a photograh taken in mid-1938.

As a little boy at home I commonly wore a play dress ( Spielhöschen ). This snapshot shows me in a Spielhöschen . Mother apparently often dressed me in these during the summer. These out fits are called rompers in America and barboteuses in France. I am 3 years old in a photograh taken in mid-1938. I'm not sure to what age I wore these outfits. I was no longer wearing them at the time I began school. I'm not sure what color this one was. It was done in a rint. Note that my socks seem to match my Spielhöschen .

A reader writes, "These garments were also called Spielhöschen in Austria . It was the German name used by my Mother , Granparents Godfather too ... and myself ; and it seems by Hans. Spielhöschen translates as little pants for playing." A French reader writes, " Ein Spielhöschen ( baboteuse into French ) was the name used in Wien Österreich during the 1950s to say romper with bib or suspender for little boys. The traditional one-piced puffed pants romper suits like the ones in worn in France were not worn in Germany."

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Created: February 24, 2004
Last updated: February 24, 2004