Figure 1.--"Le petit écho de la mode" in its February 1947 issue offered several blouses. Two are pictured here. The blouses had both pointed and Peter Pan collars and both were heavily smocked, one more heavily than the other. They were to be worn with suspender rompers. |
"Le petit écho de la mode" in its February 1947 issue offered a ensemble or trousseau for a younger boy. "Trosseau" is of course used in the French sence of a group of garments in general rather than in the English sence of a bridal outfit. The title of thepage reads "Le trousseau de mon petit garçon." Which means "The outfit or wardrobe for the small boy." The words under the caption read. "Voici avec leur patron réduit (patron réduit = reduced pattern) quelque modèles vous permettant de constituer un trousseau pratique et complet pour votre petit garçon"." This means, "Here are the reduced pattern, some models allowing you to make a practical and complete wardrobe for a little boy." [HBC at this time is not positive as to just what "patron réduit/reduced pattern" means.] French fashion magazines sometimes used the term "petit garçon", others use the term "garçonnet". The two terms are identical. The article suggests the patterns for a boy 3-4 years old. While the pattern is for a 3-4 year old, a French reader tells HBC that the style was commonly worn by boys 2-5 years old who wore them with suspender rompers.
Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered pattern for two styles of front buttoning, puffed-sleeve blouses. They were shown to be worn with suspender romper pants. The two puffed sleeve blouses were with a pointed and a Peter Pan collar and both were heavily smocked, one more heavily than the other. The pointed collar was plain while the Peter Pan collar was edged with narrow trim.
Two different blouses were shown. The ad copy read:
"2. Blouse de soirerie blanche , en toile ou en flanelle
garnie de quelques fronces et de croquet. (0 m.75 en 100)." This would translate something like "Blouse of white soirery, in fabric or flannel furnished with some creases and braid." 0 m.75 en 100
means material 1 meter wide and a cut of 0.75 meters.
"3. Blouse plus simple, en toile ou en flanelle;
garnie de quelques fronces et de croquets." This would translate something like, "Simpler blouse, in fabric or flannel; furnished with some creases and braid." Note that "croquet" means "braid". Braid was very fashionable for children's garment and was used instead of smocking or embroidery on a wide variety of garments. Braid was commonly used on rompers and on boys' school smocks for boys up to about 10 years.
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