Figure 1.--The illustration appears to show rompers (barboteuse) for young boys and smocks for girls and boys. I am not sure about just what ages they were for, but the sizes in centimeters were specified. The smocks were made in larger sizers than the rompers. |
HBC is not sure of the catalog company offered these clothes, but it is reportedly a large, well known Parisian department store. This unknown company in 1935 offered both ginham and plaid rompers in different styles for little boys. Smocks also appeared on the same page, again in several different styles. Our French adviser tells that, "All the clothes offered by this comoany are styles that were commonly worn by French children."
The top row of this section appears to show outfits for very young children. The ad copy provides some deatils on the four garments offerded. Both romper suits are the one piece style. The organization and models used seem to suggest that rompers were for boys and smocks for girls. At least the models wearing the rompers appear to be boys. The models wearing the smocks in the first row for younger children appear to be a girl and a child that is difficult to identify, but probably a boy. The inference is that rompers are for boys and smocks can be worn by both boys and girls. Our French adviser confirms that these romper suits would be for boys only. He adds, "The clothes for boys and girls were clearly destinct. It would have been clear to French mothers reasing this catalog and they would nott have been condused. Today it is different."
The ad copy for the two romper suits, as best as HBC can make out the available copy is:
The ad copy in French reads: "IR-71393 Barboteuse Vichy, quadrilíé rouge ou bleu sur fond blanc. Cm 40, 3.90. Plus 1, par Cm 0.5 jusqu'l Cm 55." HBC believes that this reads: "Gingahm romper in checkered gingaham, either red or blue with a white background. The 40 cm size [The size of 40 cm I believe is length of garment itself, not height of child. (A boy of 40 cm would be a new born baby).] is Fr 3.90. Larger sizes are Fr1 per 5 cm up to size 55 centimeters." From the illustration these rompers do not appear to have elasticized legs.
IR-71394 Barboteuse ziphyr éscossais, bleu ou roge, Cm 40 - 6.90. Plus 1, par Cm 0.5, jusqu'l Cm 55. HBC believes that this reads: "Scottish plaid romper in either red or blue. The 40 cm size is Fr 6.90. Larger sizes are Fr1 per 5 cm up to size 55 centimeters." From the illustration these rompers do appear to have elasticized legs. The word zephyr is normally the name of a very smooth wind. As well it is name of a god in
the greek mythology. With reference to garments it defines a very light fabric.
Figure 2.--These smocks and dresses look like thaey were made for girls. |
While this catalog offers only two romper suits, they offer quite a variety of smocks. Most appear to be for girls. Some of the maocks, however, suggest that boys also wore them. One was specifically for boys.
There is no information in the ad copy as to whether this is for a boy or girl, although the illustration suggests it is for a girl. The French ad copy reads, "IR-71386. Tablier ziphyr éscossais, dispositions bitues ou roses, Cm 40 - 13Fr. Plus 1, par Cm 0.5 jusqu'l Cm 65." HBC is not quiter sure how to translate this, probably something like: Ziphyr Scotch plaid smock in blues and pinks. Size Cm 40 is 13Fr. An additional 1 par Cm 5 to size 65 centimeters."
A French reader tells us, "I am here struggling a bit for exact translation of 'disposition', word nowadays not used in such
context. All models presented are either plain tissue, or 'Vichy' (gingham) type, or 'quadrillé', or with 'rayures' (striped). Believe 'disposition' could indicate a checkered type where horizontal and
vertical stripes aren't equally broad." The model and smock styling suggest that this a style for girls. Our French adviser confirms that this style would be for girls only.
The French ad copy is more difficult to read here, somehing like "Tablier Vichy ??? grand taint, Cm 45, - *.50 Fr, Plus 1 par Cm 0.5 jusqu'l 65 centimeters." This is a gingham smock which proably could have been worn by both boys and girls. A HBC French speaker tells us that Tablier Vichy grand teint is correct spelling, "grand teint" meaning coloured tissue that can be washed at usual washing temperatures. The question marks, however, represent a word that we could not make out.
A few of the smocks pictures could have been worn by boys, but HBC does not have the appropriate ad copy.
Figure 3.--We do not have the ad copy for these smocks. Looking at the models and styling, the cstyles in the middle are for girls, the one at the left may be for a younger boy and the one at the right for an older boy. |
Our French reader has provided us this sizing information to better understand the ad copy. They sizes given corresponding to the lengh of the garment. A 40 cm garment would be for a 12-18 month child. The size 55 cm garments would be for a boy about 5-6 years. Boys that age would averahe about 1.0o-1.05 m at that time.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main French mail order 1935 page]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
[Main French romper page]
[Main French smock page]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Bibliographies]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[French glossary]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]