Figure 1.-- The Eatons Spring-Summer 1907 offered shirtwaists with a variety of other garments. |
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Boys wore both blouses and shirt waists in the 1900s. The principal differences between blouses and shirt waists was that blouses did not have tails and shirt waiss did not have collars. Younger boys wore blouses. Some were still quite fancy. Eatons had a selection of blouses. Older boys wore shirt waists--an early form of shirt that came without a collar. Various collars could be attached. This was apractical arrangement at atme when washing was still a huge chore. Men annd boys might just change the collar rather than the whole shirt. Eatons had a selection of shirt waists. Eatons uses the term "shirts".
This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
The term "waist" which is no longer a term commonly used in the sence of a garment. The term "waist" seems to have been used interchangeably with "shirtwaist". HBC notes that "waist" in the late 19th and early 20th century was used to mean a blouse or shirt, often without a collar. They were meant to be used with a detachable collar. Boys might, for example, wear them with an Eton collar. We note dictionaies which define a shirtwaist as "a tailored blouse or shirt worn by women". We are not at all sure that this was the accepted meaning in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Eatons offered a variety of shirts and shirt waists for boys, youths, and slender young men. Thesse were shirts for teen agers and yung men although they began just before the teen years (age 12). Younger boys wore blouses which were also offered by Eatons. There were a range of blouses for younger boys (up to age 8-10 years) in the same Spring-Summer 1907 catalog. There was a mid rangeof itens for boys (age 11-14 years).
Eatons offered four different categories of shirt-like items on this page.
These shirts for older teenagers and very slender young men in their early 20s have a variety of features. Cuffs and collars were often pre-washed to prevent shrinking. All the shirts are so-called nieckband shirts with arrangements for attaching separate stiff collars by means of collar pins. Sometimes the cuffs are also detachable so that they can be separately washed. Many boys and men wore the body of their shirts for several days but changed the collars and cuffs, which got soiled more readily. Some of these shirts are in so-called “Neglige” style, which means, I think, that they slip over the head and don’t require buttoning—at least not all the way down the back or front. Others have “open backs” with buttons only at the top and waist. Since these are dress shirts and would be normally worn with jackets (and sometimes vests as well), the back of the shirt would never show. These are apparently all tuck-in shirts that can be worn with trousers held up by belts or, more often, suspenders worn on top of the shirt. The different offerings included.
EIX602: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boys’ White Unlaundered Shirts, open back, linen bosom and cuffs, reinforced fronts, sizes 12 to 14 inch collar, at 35 cents, 50 cents.
EIX604: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boys’ White Laundered Shirts, open back, reinforced fronts, linen bosom and cuffs, fine cotton, sizes 12 to 14 collar, at 50 cents. Better quality at 75 cents.
EIX606: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boys’ Fine Colored Neglige Shirts, fancy fronts, bodies to match. Laundered neck bands, soft cuffs, in light a medium figures and stripes, as cut EIX618, sizes 12 to 14, each 39 cents."
EIX638: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boy’s Neglige Colored Shirts, separate turn down dollar, cuffs, attached, light, medium and dark colors, as cut EIX 608, sizes 12 to 14, at 50 cents." One important aspect of these HBC catalog pages is learn about the terminology and conventions used with clothing during the various historical decade. The phrase "Boy’s Neglige Colored Shirts" would mean boy's shirts colored like ladies underwear. Now I know fashions conventions change over time, but I have a hard time believing this is what it meant in 1907. I don't think many boys would be attracted to shirts colored like ladies underwear. And note that most of the shirts here use the term Neglige. We notice that one dictionary definition is an informal style, but that does not address color. A reader writes, "I was also puzzled by this term (neglige). But I think it may refer to shirts that didn't open completely in front and had to be put
on over the head--i.e. shirts that buttoned only part way down the front. But this is just a guess."
EIX612: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boys’ Fancy Neglige Shirts, mercerized fronts, with bodies of the same patterns, laundered neck bands, cuffs attached, stripes and figures, in blue or black colors, as cut EIX616. Sizes 12 to 14, at each, 50 cents."
EIX614: The Eaton's ad copy read, "Boy’s Fine Colored Cambric Shirts, open back, laundered bosom, cuffs attached, medium colors in neat stripes, as cut EIX614, sizes 12 to 14 inch collar, each 50 cents."
EIX616: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boy’s Fancy Neglige Shirts, fancy mercerized fronts, with bodies to match, laundered neckband, cuffs attached, a large assortment of nobby patterns, neat black or blue stripes or figures, as cut EIX616, sizes 12 to 14, at 59 cents."
EIX618: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine Neglige Shirts in Scotch, zephyr, tandras and fancy woven shirting material, separate link cuffs or cuffs attached, in neat and fancy stripes or figures, in light, medium and dark colors, as cut EIX616, sizes 12 to 14 inches. 75 cents. Better qualities at each $1.00, $1.25."
EIX620: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Semi Neglige Colored Shirts, with large pleated fronts, cuffs attached, latest American patterns and colors, as cut EIX620, sizes 12 to 14, at 75 cents, $1.00, $1.25."
EIX621: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Youth’s slender men’s or tall thin boys’ fine Neglige Shirts, made from fine shirting material, separate link cuffs or cuffs attached, neat stripes or figures, in light and medium colors, as cut EIX616, sizes 14 to 14 ½, each, 75 cents."
Shirt waists are for boys up to about 14 years of age who didn’t tuck their shirts inside their trousers. Often these boys wore knee pants that were buttoned onto underwaists or held up by skeleton waists with hose supporters attached so that the shirt waists needed to come down over the waistband of the trousers. They were usually closed by means of draw strings which didn’t show because the shirt waist was bloused over the draw string. The garments were also referred to sometimes as “blouses”. In one instance there is a pattened elastic band which holds the shirt waist close to the body and allows for blousing over it. Some of these shirts have collars attached, separate collars, or no collars. Later shirt waists had buttons around the waistline of the shirt so that short trousers or knickers could be buttoned directly onto the shirt. But this later style did not allow for the use of suspenders to hold up trousers and garters for long stockings would have to be attached to underwaists that didn’t interfere with the bottom of the shirt.
EIX622: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine Scotch Zephyr or Colored Cambric Shirt Waist, with separate collar or with no collar, laundered cuffs, draw string around bottom, light, medium and dark colors, in all the different patterns as cut EIX626, sizes 11 to 14 inch collar, each 50 cents." Zephyr was a popular shirt. The word in English means a gentle breeze, although it no longer commonly used. It ws used at the time to mean a variety of fine, light fabrics.
EIX626: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Shirt Waist, in fine woven materials, patent elastic band at bottom, separate collar, laundered cuffs, light colors, in blue or black stripes or figures, also medium shades, as cut EIX626, sizes 11 to 14, each Special 59 cents." We had thought that the bottom closures on blouses were draw strings. Note that this one is elasticized. We also thought that shirt waiss had tails like shirts. This one seems to be nore like a blouse.
EIX628: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine Shirt Waists, fine Scotch zephyr and other woven materials, separate collar, laundered cuffs, neat black or blue stripes or figures, also plain blue chambray or linen color, as cut EIX626, sizes 11 to 14; also plain white mercerized effect, no collar, at 75 cents."
EIX630: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine Imported American Shirt Waist, latest style, laundered neck band and cuffs, draw string at bottom; neat and fancy patterns and stripes, also plain white, as cut EIX630, sizes 11 to 14 inch collar, at 1.00. Better qualities at $1.25 and $1.50."
EIX634: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ fine Black Sateen Shirt Waist, turn down collar attached, box pleat in back, draw string at bottom, as cut EIX634, sizes 11 to 14 inch collar, at 50 cents."
EIX636: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boy’s English Oxford Shirt Waist, collar attached, pleat in back, draw string at bottom, neat stripes in medium colors, as cut EIX636, sizes 11 to 14 inch collar, at 50 cents." We are not sure what is mean by an "Oxford shirt". It could mean Ocford cloth, but we are not positive about that.
These shirts are for boys from about 11 or 12 up to about 14. They reflect the fact that many younger boys worked much of the time, either in commercial establishments or on farms, and needed informal, practical clothing. The collars are sometimes attached, and sometimes the shirts are “neckband” style and simply worn without collars. Presumably these shirts just tuck into trousers and would be worn underneath overalls or knee pants held up by suspenders or belts. Outing shirts were designed for boys who were simply on rural or camping holidays where dress clothese were not expected. Presumably these would not be acceptable for ordinary school wear. Many Canadian and American schools expected boys to be more or less formally dressed in school—i.e., in knee pants and long stockings, shirts with collars and ties, and sometimes even jackets.
EIX638: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ fine Flannelette Shirts, collar attached or neck band, neat print or blue stripes, sizes 10 to 14 inch collar. 25 cents."
EIX640: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Shirts, English flannelette, collar attached, yoke, double stitched seams, in pink or blue stripes, as cut EIX642, sizes 11 ½ to 14, at 35 cents.:
EIX642: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine English Ceylon Flannel Shirts, collar attached or plain neck band, yoke, pocket and pearl buttons, as cut EIX642, sizes 12 to 14, at 60 cents."
EIX642: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Grey Flannel Shirts, collar attached or sateen neck band, sizes 12 to 14, at 60 cents. Same style in navy blue flannel, at 75 cents."
EIX644: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys’ Fine Silk striped Cashmerette Outing Shirts, collar attached, light and medium colors, assorted stripes, as cut EIX642, sizes 12 to 14 inches, at 75 cents."
EIX646: The Eaton's ad copy read, " Boys Plain White or Tan Duck Outing Shirts, collar attached, as cut EIX646, sizes 12 to 14 inch collar, at 50 cents."
Boys in the early-20th century needed warm sleeping garments because bedrooms were frequently unheated—hence the use of flannelette material. This was especially the case in a northern country like Canada. Even in the summer catalogue no broadcloth or lighter weight materials are offered. Notice that pajamas were alread beginning to replace nightshirts which apparently were called sleeping gowns in Canada. Perhaps that was a British term.
Canadian boys are offered the choice for spring and summer wear of either short sleeved undershirts or long-sleeved ones and also of knee-length drawers or ankle-length drawers. All the underwear is knitted Balbriggan style (button-front on shirts) and, by modern standards, rather heavy for summer, even though one offering mentions “summer weight.” This underwear is really very similar to what Canadian boys would wear in the winter although perhaps of a lighter-weight material. One interesting difference from American boys’ underwear of the same period (as illustrated in Sears and Wards catalogs) is the total absence of union suits (or “combinations” as they are referred to in Canada)—one piece, all-encompassing underwear that buttoned down the front from the neck to the crotch and had a buttoned drop seat or “trap door” arrangement in the back. Union suits were available for Canadian men, but had not yet caught on for boys. They started to become more popular for boys in the 1920s and to appear more regularly; they became very common in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s Eaton’s catalogues. One reason for preferring knee-length underwear as a choice was not only the fact that short legs were cooler to wear but were easier to accommodate with long stockings if the boy was wearing knee pants. Boys characteristically complained of the lumpy look and difficult dressing involved with wearing long stockings over ankle-length underwear.
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