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French mail order catalogs and clothing advertisements offer a very useful time line on changing fashion trends. We have several illustrations from popular French fashion magazines showing fancy clothes for younger boys, uncluing rompers and blouses and short pants. Somocks were still commonly worn by school children. One fashion magazine shows an older boys wearing a blazer.
One French sewing magazine in 1947 showed a boy wearing a British style peaked cap. This was unsusual because before World War II (1939-45), French boys did not commonly wsear this style.
Rompers in 1947 were very popular for young children. We note quite a variety of romper outfits in various publications. They were exclusively for boys. They were primarily a play garment to be worn around the home are for outings to the beach, but there were dressier versions as well. One fashion magazine offered patterns for several different styles of rompers as well as othervgarments such as dressy blouses fpr a 3-4 year old boy. There are three rompers shown, however the article only refers to one, the one piece garment as a romper or barboteuse. The other garments arecreferred to as suspender shorts ("culotte à bretelles").
Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered a pattern for a classic one-piece romper suit or "barboteuse". Although not shown, it would have had a big bow to tie at the back.
Mode pratique in April 1947 showed French gatherings eggs for Easter. The girls wore dresses. The boys of different ages wore romper outfits, both were one-piece style romper suits.
Mode pratique in the August 10, 1947 had directions for a brother sister outfit. The outfits were for 2-3 year olds. The title was "Frère et soeur". The outfit was a "jupe" (short jacket) for the boy and gir. The boy wore what was described as culotte, but look like suspender romper pants. The girls outfit was a coordinated suspender skirt. They were shown in green. I'm not sure what the material was. August is summer in France and these outfits look perfect for summer wear.
Mode pratique in September 1947 had instructions for knitting a winter wool romper suit.
Mode pratique in December 1947 showed French children getting their presents under the Christmas tree. One of the boys wears a white blouse and red romper bottoms with a bow at the back. Usually it was the one-poece suits that had the back bows.
Le petit écho de la mode had an advertisement for different romperoutfits. The same pattern could be used for both one- and two-piece romper outfits. They were in the December issue and thus were presumably for making Christmas outfits for boys. They could be made in sizes 2-7 years.
Smocks were still widely worn by French school children as well as small children at home.
The top part of a smock and classic romper (barboteuse) are virtually identical. Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered a pattern that could be used for either a smock or romper. The top part was the same only the bottom part varied depending on whether the mother opted for a romper or smock for her son. The illustration shpwed the garment as being made in gingam (vichy).
The French word for suit is" costume". Fancy outfits for younger boys were called costumes although they did not have matching jackets and pants. Younger boys generally wore fancy blouses with button-on short pants. There were also styles with long pants.
The June, 1947 issue of Mode Pratigue shows fancy outfits for children. There were puffed sleeve blouses and short and long pants for the boys and fancy dresses for the girls. Some of these outfits look like First Communion outfits. One outfit was in the sailor style.
Catalogs and fashions magazines show French boys wearing a variety of suits, sport coats, and blazers.
Mode pratique in December 1947 showed French childrenn getting their presents under the Christmas tree. One of the boys wears a brown blazer.
Some of the coats worn like French boys look similar to those worn in other countries.
Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered a pattern for a dressy coat to be worn by a small boy. It was coat that looks as if could have been worn by a boy or girl.
HBC has noted a variety of fancy blouses for boys. We have not noted blouses for girls as girls wore dresses and dod not need short-like blouses. The blouses have both pointed and Peter Pan collars and many were heavily smocked. A blouse appears to have been a fancier and dressier shirt than a "chemise".
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 blouses had both pointed and Peter Pan collars 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.
Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered a third blouse pattern. This was another puffed-sleve blouse, but it was not as heavily smocked. It had a rounded Peter Pan collar with detailing. Like the other blouses, it was front buttoning. It was shown as to be wirn with a suspender romper bottom. It is no immediately apparent why this blouse was shown separate from the two shown right above it. The three look quite similar, all with the puff-sleeve style popular to be worn with romper bottoms.
A shirt or "chemise" was available for both younger and older boys in many different styles.
Le petit écho de la mode in its February 1947 issue offered a shirt or "chemise". This was a very plain, front buttoning, short sleeved shirt. Like the blouses also depicted, it was to be worn with suspender rompers.
HBC notices a wide bariety of fashionable knits in French catalogs and sewing and knitting magazines during the 1940s.
Tricotons in its November 1947 issue offered knits for different ages of boys, including wool cardigans and short pants and short and long sleeve pullovers.
Here is an article, found in a French fashion magasine during 1947--Leurs Atours. The author advises mothers to dress their boys in rompers untill 6 years old, giving them a perfect look.
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