Figure 1.--This advertisement appeared in a March 1936 La Samaritaine catalog. Pictured are a boys romper, shorts set, and child's coat.
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Figure 1.--This advertisement appeared in a March 1936 La Samaritaine catalog. Pictured are a boys romper, shorts set, and child's coat. |
This advertisement appeared in a March 1936 La Samaritaine catalog. A La Samaritaine department store ad in March 1936 offered a variety of garments for boys through age 3, including a boys romper (barboteuse), shorts set, and child's coat. The shorts set was in the button-on style. The rompers were the kind without the puffed pants. The child's coat was suitable for boys or girls.
La Samaritaine is either the earliest or at least one of the earliest department stores ever built. Situated in the historic center of Paris, between the Louvre and Châtelet and opposite the Ile de la Cité, the famous department store got its name from an old water pump near the Pont Neuf. The water pumps were very important to people in the 19th century. This pump for example fed the Louvre. It was something of a landmark because it was decorated with the woman of Sameria giving a drink of water to Jesus. The store now occupies four buildings. The café on the roof of store number two offers a 360 degree view of Paris. La Samaritaine has always been something of a poor relation in the department store stakes, but since it has been acquired by the LVMH group (owners of Le Bon Marché) this is probably due to change. You can find just about anything in the chaotic four-store complex, from fashion to household goods, a large linen department and a big toy department. Building two has a faded charm with wonderful art nouveau details, a superb Seine location and a great view from the rooftop terrace. The view is also excellent from the fifth-floor restaurant Le Toupary.
A variety of garments for boys through age 3, including a boys romper (barboteuse), shorts set, and child's coat are shown in this 1936 ad. The shorts set was in the button-on style. The rompers were the kind without the puffed pants. The child's coat was suitable for boys or girls.
The ad copy reads, "Barboreuse beau piqué rose ou ciel, pois blancs, 1 à 3 ans Fr 6.75". This translates as, Romper good [?pique] pink or blue, [?pois] white. 1 to 3 years Fr 6.75. The rompers were the kind without the puffed pants. Rompers came in both regular and puffed poants, but were all one-piece garments. The rompers shown her look to be an inexpensive play suit for boys.
The ad copy reads, "Costume garconnet, piqué croquet, blouse blanche rayée ciel or rose, culotte assortie. 1 à 3 ans. Fr. 15.50." This translates as, "Little boys suit or shorts set, [? piqué croquet], white blouse with pink or blie stripes or lines, assorted shorts, 1 to 3 years. Fr. 15.50." The shorts set was in the button-on style. It looks to be a dressy garment. Note the double breasted button styling.
The ad copy reads, "Manteau lainage chiné, beige, entierement doublé. 1 à 3 ans Fr 35." This translates as, "Wool coat [?chiné], beige color, double [?entierement]. 1 to 3 years Fr 35." The child's coat was suitable for boys or girls. This would have been a dressy coat for special occasions. Note the double breasted button styling.
We notye that for these younger children (1-3 years) that the sizes are given in years. For slightly older children, the sizes are given in ther height of the garment.
La Samaritaine was patrionized by a clientelle of more modest means than the other large Paris department store. We wonder if this may be part of the reason that both children wearing the smocks are girls on another part of the page and that the rompers (barboteuses) pictured here are not the puffed pants style. Perhaps that stylish school smocks and puffed pants rompers were more common with more affluent customers.
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