Figure 1.--Here are a selection of single- and double-breasted two- and three-piece suits offered by Eatons in the Spring-Summer 1907 catalog (page 64). This page shows the variety of styles of knee pants suits that were fashionable in Canada, actully North America as the styles seem virtually identical to those worn in the United States. All boys up to the age of at least 14 wore knee pants suits. These are dress-up clothes for boys from about 10 to 16. The sizes are chest circumferences. Notice that all the suits are worn exclusively with long black stockings and high-top shoes. The illustrations also shows popular headwear styles.

Here are a selection of single- and double-breasted two- and three-piece suits offered by Eatons in the Spring-Summer 1907 catalog (page 64). This page shows the variety of styles of knee pants suits that were fashionable in Canada, actully North America as the styles seem virtually identical to those worn in the United States. All boys up to the age of at least 14 wore knee pants suits. These are dress-up clothes for boys from about 10 to 16. The sizes are chest circumferences. Notice that all the suits are worn exclusively with long black stockings and high-top shoes. The illustrations also shows popular headwear styles.

Eaton's Department Store

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.

Suit Pants/Trousers

They are almost entirely knee pants suits, but one style has "Bloomer knickers" instead. Such terms were highly variable and not stanfarized. HBC uses the term "bloomer knickers" for the draw-string knickers younger boys wore with tunic suits. Here Eaton's uses the term we beliee to contrast with the straight leg knee pants of the other suits. The page suggests that most boys wore knee pants in 1907. Knickers would, however, become increasingly popular and would become the principal type of pants boys worevin the 1910s. The sizes are chest sizes--from 29 to 33 (which is approximately age 12 to age 16, although the size of boys' chests can vary of course. It is interesting that the catalog shows no long trousers suits for "boys" although there is a category of youths and young men that seems to include boys in the 18-21 age span.

Boys’ Suits: Ad Copy

Here are a selection of single- and double-breasted two- and three-piece suits offered by Eatons in the Spring-Summer 1907 catalog (page 64). This page shows the variety of styles of knee pants suits that were fashionable in Canada, actully North America as the styles seem virtually identical to those worn in the United States. All boys up to the age of at least 14 wore knee pants suits. These are dress-up clothes for boys from about 10 to 16. The sizes are chest circumferences. Notice that all the suits are worn exclusively with long black stockings and high-top shoes. The illustrations also shows popular headwear styles. The ad copy is organized by item number. The heading read, "Three-piece and Two-piece Unlined Suits". The sizes were 28 to 33 which would be a pproximately ages 10 to 14. Eaton's added, "We advise having these goods shipped by Express or enclosed in with other Goods and sent by Freight. If to be sent by Mail, allow from 55 cents to 60 cents for postage." Unfortunately the add is not very clear about the characteristics of each offering. We have tried to group them as best we can make out.

Singe-breasted Suits

As best we can mke out, the texy in the left column refers to single breasrd suits.

Three-piece single-breasted suit

I think there was only one three-piece single-breasted suit offered.
E3-1000: Three-piece suits in medium and dark patterns of good wearing domestic Tweed, well-made and lined with Italian cloth, good interlining, knee pants, as cut. E3-1000. Special $3.68.

Lined two-piece single-breasted suits

Most of the single breasted suits were lined two-piece suits.
E3-1001: Navy blue soft finished English serge, Italian lining, as cut E3-1000 $2.50.
E3-1002: Neat medium and dark patterns of English Tweeds, Italian body linings, as cut E3-1000 $3.00.
E3-1010: Medium grey and dark patterns of good wearing domestic Tweeds, well made and lined, as cut E3-1010 $3.50
E3-2011: Navy blue Cheviot Serge; also all-wool domestic Tweeds, in stylish effects, good Italian body linings, as cut E3-1010 $4.00
E3-1012: Imported Tweeds in neat mixed and striped effects, heavy linings, as cut E3-1010. $4.50.
E3-1013: Stylish patterns of all-wool imported and domestic Tweeds, in medium light and dark shades, good Italian linings, strong interlinings, well made throughout, as cut E3-1010 $5.00.
E3-1016: Navy blue and black Worsted Serge, imported cloths, well made and lined with a strong Italian cloth, as cut E3 1010. $5.00.
E3-1017: Very pretty all-wool Tweeds, in neat, dressy patterns, over-plaid effects, best linings, as cut E3-1010 $6.00.
E3-1018: Navy blue and black English clay twill Worsteds, also fine worsted finished Tweeds in nice, small patterns, best linings and trimmings, as cut E3 1010. $6.00.
E3-3019: Fine black or navy blue English worsted Serges, nice, smooth finished material, best Italian linings, as cut E3-1010. $7.50.

Unlined single-breasted two-piece suits

Since Eatons points out these suits were unlined, we assumed the suits listed above were lined. Two-piece suits meant coat and pants only.
E3-1032: Unlined Suits, made from light shades of Homespun Tweeds, shoulders only padded, pants with belt, as cut E3 1032. $4.00.
E3-1038: Unlined Suits (coat and pants only) in light shades of Homespun Tweeds, with neat pattern, pants with belts to match, as cut E3-1032. $5.00.

Double-breasted Suits

Although it is not entirely clear, we believe that that the suits listed in the right column are double-breasted suits.

Double breasted three-piece suit

I think there was only one three-piece double-breasted suit offered.
E3-1015: Double Breasted three-piece suits, made from strong domestic Tweeds, dark mixed patterns lined with strong Italian cloth, knee pants lined as cut E3 1015. Special $3.98.

Lined two-piece double-breasted suits

Most of the double-breasted two-piece suits were lined.
E3-1020: Strong wearing domestic Tweeds and dark patterns, well made and line, as cut E3 1020. $3.50.
E3-1021: Neat grey and brown mixed Tweeds, all-wool domestic cloth in overplaid patterns, lined with Italian, as cut E3 1020. $4.00.
E3-1022: All wood imported Tweeds in neat, stylish patterns, grey and brown mixtures, strong Italian body linings, as cut E3 1020. $4.50.
E3-1023: Navy blue and black imported Serges. English cloths lined with good Italian and strong interlining, as cut E3 1020. $5.00.
E3-1024: Stylish all-wool Tweeds in pretty light grey or dark mixed patterns with over-plaid effects; these have strong Italian body linings and good inter-lining, nicely tailored, as cut E3 1020. $5.00.
E3-1025: Pretty dark pin-checked patterns of all-wool imported Tweeds, lined with best Italian body lining, as cut E3 1020. $6.00.
E3-1026: Very stylish patterns of worsted finished Tweeds, in pretty over-plaid and pin-check patterns, lined with best quality of Italian, exceptionally well tailored, as cut E3 1020. $6.50.
E3-1027: Fine navy blue and black English worsted serge; also very pretty fancy Worsteds. In new patterns and colorings. Best linings and interlinings throughout, perfect in style and fit, as cut E3 1020. $7.50.
E3 1028: Handsome light fancy Worsteds, mid-grey shades, something novel in boys’ wear; best of linings and trimmings, as cut E3 1020. $8.50.

Unlined double-breasted two-piece suits

Since Eatons points out these suits were unlined, we assumed the suits listed above were lined. Two-piece suits meant coat and pants only. Sizes 28 to 33.
E3-1030: Unlined suits (coat and pants only) in light grey Halifax Twees, cut in latest double-breasted style, pants with belt, as cut 1030. $4.00.
E3-1031: Double-breasted unlined suits in pretty, light-patterned homespun Tweeds. Cool and stylish, pants with belt, as cut E3 1030. $5.00.

Hosiery

School age boys except the yougest commonly wore knee pants with long stockings. Black long stovkings were especially common, lthough younger boys might war white stockings for dress occassions. All these suits here are depicted being worn with long black stockings. There is n attempt to match thesuits and stocking colors. Note that this is the case even for Spring and Summer.

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Created: 5:26 AM 3/15/2008
Last updated: 6:52 PM 3/15/2008