Figure 1.--This 1939 French catalog shows a variety of outfits for girls and very young boys, including some romper outfits. The catalog came from a popular Parisian department store showing fashions just before World War II began. |
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French mail order catalogs offer a very useful time line on changing fashion trends. French mail order catalogs and newspaper ads provide great detail on fashion trends. The available information suggest that most boys wore short pants, even during the winter. Sailor suits were still worn, but were less popular than in the 1920. Younger boys might wear rompers. I am not sure precisely when mail order catalogs first appeared in France. Stores in 1933 offered a variety of suits for boys, mostly short pants suits. Sailor suits were still very popular. Double breasted suits were considered stylish. Younger boys might wear just a blouse or shirt with shorts. Berets were still worn as were sailor caps. We have some images of schoolwear for French boys for the winter of 1935-36. Several coats and suits are shown. Rompers and smocks were popular for the younger boy. We also have pages from the Star catalog which we believe was dated 1938.
We have found illustrations of French boys' suits in 1930 for boys and youths. Unfortunately the source and associayed ad copy is not available. Two are very formal suits, the other more casual. They inclided short pants, knickers, and long pants.
Stores in 1933 offered a variety of suits for boys, mostly short pants suits. Sailor suits were still very popular. Double breasted suits were considered stylish. Younger boys might wear just a blouse or shirt with shorts. Berets were still worn as were sailor caps.
Advertisments showed a lot of back to school fashion for the winter of 1935-36. They looked to be primarily for boys going to private schools. Rompers were popular for younger boys who might also wear smocks at home.
The classic smock styles for boys that were to prove so common in the 1940s and 50s were well established by the 1930s. Some smocks were worn by both boys and girls. Other styles were exclusively for boys or girls. The light pastel colors and ginham smocks had replaced the dark smocks as the most popular styles.
We have some information on French advertisements at this time, mostly clothes for younger boys. We do note an advertisement from Galeries Lafayette for a knitted sailor outfit for younger boys. We also note the same store offering a shorts set. Galeries Lafayette offered quite a range of school smocks in 1937. The illustrations show girl models, but many of the different smocks are labeled for grls and boys. We also note an advertisement for underwear from the Petit Bateau children's wear company. The reader providing this ad was not positive about the date, but thought it was 1937. Galleries Lafayette coffered a range of pajamas and sleepwear. We also notice waist suits which the French call a gilet-corset.
HBC notes fashions from a Star catalog. We lelieve it dates to 1938, but can not yet confirm that. We have several pages with differentbtypes of clothing. We also note that companies in 1938 were offering more stylish school smocks. One company offered a diamond pattern for boys' and girls' in 1938 looking rather like plaid. Earlier school smocks for boys were mostly dark colors.
Younger boys wore a variety of outfits, including the popular romper style. HBC notes that department stores were offering some rather modern looking styles for older boys, including casual garments. Rather dressy styles and rompers for younger boys were popular. Smocks were available for both boys and girls, bur girls' smocks were more prominetly featured.
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