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Canadian boys still commobly wore suits in 1920. We note several different styles. We note a range of junior suits with knee pants for younger boys. For some reason knee pants persisted for yonger boys. We see the same trend for younger boys in America. Here we have the different kinds of junior suits offered by Eaton's in the Fall-Winter catalog. Several still retain the tunic look.
T. Eaton's was a well known Toranto department store. Their catalogs provide a good indication of the styles popular in Canada at the time. 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.
HBC is not yet sure how common kneepants were in the Canada during the late 19th and early 20th century. We believe that the pattern was similar to Britain, but influenced by American trends, especially American mail order catalogs.
Eatons in its Fall-Winter catalog (page 270) offered "juvenile" suits for boys from age 3 to 8. Most of the
suits have straight style knee pants, although one style has knickers with the knee gathered in by elastic. The "juvenile" suits differed from the older boys' suits offered in the catalog in having knee pants in most cases rather than so-called "bloomer knickers". Knickers were the trouserv style offered for older boys in the same catalogue. All these suits are shown as being worn with long black stockings. Note the boys here are not shown wearing flat caps like the older boys. Except for the sailor-styled suit, these are all collar-buttoning jackets. They are depicted with different neckwear. Tassels seem particularly popular.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years. 94-176 This Juvenile Suit is Tweed in a fancy dark brown mixture. The coat has yoke, stitched-down box pleats at front, buckle belt, two slash pockets and cuffs on sleeves. Straight pants are knee length. Price delivered $7.45." Notice the boy is shown holding a wide-brimmed sailor hat behind is back. The coat and several of the other ones is rather long, looking rather like a tunic. Actual tunics seem to have gone out of style by 1920, but the tunic look continues with the suits here. Notice the tassels.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 Years.
94-170 A very smart Suit of serviceable wool and Cotton tweed, in medium shade of brown. It is an “Eaton-Made” suit with slash pockets, buckle belt and straight knee pants.
Price delivered $7.85." Notice the tassels.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 7 years.
94-179 This is a smooth, durable hard finish “Eaton-Made” in the favorite Oliver Twist style with knife pleats at front from shoulder to seam. The straight knee pants button on outside of blouse. A neat serviceable and becoming suit for the little chap. Price delivered $7.25." Notice the tassels.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 7 years.
94-174 A popular modish suit for the little chap. Note sailor collar, yoke, knife pleats, white shield and braid trimming. “Eaton-Made” in Russian style of wool and cotton tweed, in several pleasing mixtures of green. Pants are roomy, with elastic knee. Price, delivered $8.40." Russian style essentially meant a tunic jacket.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years.
94-177 A most inexpensive but a good, serviceable Suit is this of Brown Checked Cotton Worsted. It is made with yoke and knife pleats at front, button belt, slash pockets and cuffed sleeves. Pants are regular cut, knee length. Price, delivered $6.40."
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Price $5.95 Delivered. Here’s Good Value in a Neat Tweed Suit.
Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years. 94-175 The price is certainly low enough to make it the most popular Suit of the season’s showing. The suit itself is a serviceable one and of a favorite design. It is made of a closely woven grey cotton and wool tweed. It’s a product of the Eaton tailoring shops. Made with yoke, knife pleats, buckle belt, turn-down collar and straight knee pants. A sturdy suit and a fashionable one that will please you both in appearance and wearing qualities. Price, delivered $5.95." Note the soft cap the boy is shown wearing. Notice the short tie.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years.
94-172 Cut along more mannish lines perhaps in this Suit of fine Wool and Cotton Tweed in a pleasing grey check. The coat is made with patch breast pocket, slash skirt pockets and buckle belt. Pants are straight-knee style. Price, delivered $6.75." Notice the tassels.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years. 94-173 This is a particularly dressy Suit that is made of a specially serviceable dark grey mixed Cotton and Wool Tweed of firm, close weave. The coat is made with yoke and box pleats at front, plain back and buckle belt. Straight knee pants. Price, delivered $8.50." Notice the tassels.
The Eaton's ad copy read, :Sizes 21 to 26, to fit ages 3 to 8 years.
94-171 The material used in this Smart Juvenile Suit is a Union Tweed in medium grey. The coat is tailored with yoke and knife pleats to bottom of coat, finished with slash pockets and buckled belt. Back of coat is plain. Regular style knee length pants. Price, delivered $6.75." Notice the tassels.
Proportionate Sizes for Ages:
Size 21, age 3; Size 22, age 4; Size 23, age 5; Size 24, age 6; Size 25, age 7; Size 26, age 8. [N.B. The sizes are chest measurements.]
Notice that there is a sizing scale at the bottom of
the page, coordinating the size (= chest measurement) with the age of the boy
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