Figure 1.-- The Sears ad copy reads, "Children's Suits--Style 26, Style 25, Style 28 Coat and knee pants Suits, two pieces. Children's suits are made in sizes from 4 to 14 years. N.B. -- We do not sample any ready-made clothing except where so stated on quotation." All of these suits were made in one of the illustrated styles. Click on the image to see a boy who looks to be wearing one of these Sear's suits. |
Ward's offered a wide range of children's suits. The term children was used, but the sizes included youth sizes to age 14 or 15 depeending on the suit. The many different suits are not described in detail but the illustration suggests that they were all kneepants suit. There are no long pants suit's illustrated. The styles include collar buttoning, single breasted lapel, and double-breasted lapel suits.
Although the word "consumerism" has a modern ring, it was personal concern for an early consumer movement, the "National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry,"That inspired a young traveling salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward to start the world's first general merchandise mail-order company in 1872. Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844, in Chatham, New Jersey, to a family whose forebears had served as officers in the French and Indian Wars as well as in the American Revolution. Looking for something more compatible, Monty left home and followed the river to Lake Michigan and the town of St. Joseph, county seat and market for outlying fruit orchards. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry goods trade and in the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter. As a retailer, Potter Palmer had previously built a reputation for fair dealing. Ward absorbed these principles while working as a clerk
for $5. The Chicago City Directories for 1868 through 1870 listed Ward as a salesman for Wills, Greg & Co. and later for Stetthauers & Wineman, both dry goods houses. In 1870, after canvassing territory in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ward was again footloose. The plan shaping in Ward's mind was to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and cutting selling costs to the bone, he could offer goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices - for cash. Since its founding in 1872, the company has literally "grown up with America" and has had a major impact on the shopping habits of a nation of consumers. Montgomery Ward & Co. discontinued its catalog operations in 1
985 as part of its restructuring effort to change itself into a modern, competitive chain of value-driven specialty stores, a move which for a time saved the company. week.
Kilt suits and Little Lord Fauntleroy suits continued to be popular in the 1890s, especiallyb in America. Sailor suits became a standard for boys. The popularity and style varied from country to country. Boys increasingly wire kneepants suits. Knicker style pants were also popular, more in Europe than America. Eton suits were a
popular style, but more likely to be worn with long pants. We notice some boys like the Syder brothers wearing the old small jackets, but increasingly in the 1890s boys were wearing full jackets that buttoned to the collar and modern-looking jackets with lapels.
Ward's offered a wide range of children's suits. The term children was used, but the sizes included youth sizes to age 14 or 15 depeending on the suit. The many different suits are not described in detail but the illustration suggests that they were all kneepants suit. There are no long pants suit's illustrated. The styles include collar buttoning, single breasted lapel, and double-breasted lapel suits.
We note quite a large number of suits offered by Sears. Only a few are illustrated and the decriptions are very brief, but the Sears ad copy offers some fascinationg details about the suits worn by merican boys in the 1890s. The Sears ad copy reads, "Children's Suits--Style 26, Style 25, Style 28 Coat and knee pants Suits, two pieces. Children's suits are made in sizes from 4 to 14 years.
N.B. -- We do not sample any ready-made clothing except where so stated on quotation." All of these suits were made in one of the illustrated styles. Curiously with a few exceptions there seems to be no way of knowing in which style the various suits numbered here were made.
30796: Black and Gray Mixed Mixed Kentucky Jeans suits, sack style. Each $0.75.
30798: Dark Mixed Fancy Cotton worsted suits, sack style. Each $0.75.
30800: Dark Fancy Striped Cotton Worsted suits, sack style. Each $0.85.
30802: Fancy Striped Gray and Black Mixed Sack Suits. Each $1.00.
30804 Plain Black Diagonal Cotton Worsted Sack Suits. Each $1.10.
30806: Fancy Mixed Windsor Cassimere Sack Suits, medium dark colors. Each $1.20.
30808: Black and Gray Mixed Small Check Cassimere Suits, double-breasted sack. Style 28. Very Serviceable. Each $1.35.
30810: Navy Blue Twilled Union Cassimere Suits, single-breasted square cut,
sack style, corded front, 4 to 14 years. Style 26. Each $1.65
30812: Dar Gray Hairline Windsor Cassimere Suits, double-breasted, style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $1.75.
30814: Steel Gray and Black Mixed Twilled Wool Cassimere Suits, 4 to 14 years. Each $1.80
30816: Plain Black Cheviot Double Breasted Sack Suits, 4 to 14 years. Style 28. Each $2.00.
30818: Medium Brown or Gray Mixed Suits, hard twisted diagonal cassimere, style 28, 4 to 14 years; mention color. Each $2.00.
30820:Fancy Plaid Suits, style 28, wool cassimere, navy blue background, made for service, 4 to 14 years. Each 2.10.
30822: Dark Gray Diagonal Wool Cheviot Suits, soft finish, very neat and substantial, pants have double knees, style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $2.25.
30824: Fancy Wool Cassimere Suits, black, gray, and steel blue mixtures, very neat patterns, double knee pants, style 28. Each $2.25.
30826: Plain Dark Bluish Gray Wool Cheviot Suits, soft finish, style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $2.25.
30828: Medium and Dark Gray Fancy Mixed Wool Cassimere Suits, double knee pants, style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $2.25.
30830: Black or Navy Blue Soft Wool Cheviot Suits. Pants have double knees. Style 28, 4 to 14 years. Mention color wanted. Each $2.25
30832: Black or Navy Blue Worsted Corkscrew Sack Suits, single breasted, pleated front. Style 26. Mention color wanted. Each $2.40.
30834: Fancy Gray Mixed Plaid Wool Cassimere Suits, silk sewed, double knees, extension band; will not rip. Style 28. Each $2.50.
30836: Medium Brown Soft Wool Cheviot Suits, double knees. Style 28; 4 to 14 years. Each $2.50.
30838: Gray and Black Fancy Mixed Wool Cassimere Suits, double knees. Silk sewed. Will not rip. An excellent suit for the money. Style 28. Each $2.65.
30840: Drab or Brown Corduroy Suits. The most serviceable suits made. Style 28. Each $3.00.
30842: Brown and Gray Pin Check Wool Cassimere, double seat and knees in pants, will not rip. Style 28. Each $3.00.
30844 Small Neat Gray Checked Cassimere Suits; fine all wool goods. Made up first class. Style 28; 5 to 15 years. Each $3.25.
30846 All Wool Cassimere Suits, black and gray fancy check with neat threads of red and blue, double knees. Style 28, 5 to 14 years. Each $3.25.
30848: All Wool Plain Black Cheviot Suits, double knees. Style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $3.50.
30850: All Wool Cassimere Suits, light brown and gray mixed with neat red plaid. Style 28. 5 to 15 years. Each $3.75.
30852: All Wool Medium Dark Brown Mixed Cassimere Suits. Style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each 3.75.
30854: Dark Fancy Worsted Suits, black with very dark red and blue plaid. Sizes 5 to 15 years. Style 28. Each $4.00
30856: Imported Clay Worsted Suits, plain black or dark blue, fine wale, diagonal pattern, very dressy. Style 28. Each $4.00.
30858: Monitor Suits. For boys who are rough on clothes; made of all wool black and gray hairline cassimere, corded front and back. Style 26. Will not rip. 4 to 14 years. Each $4.00.
30860: All Wool Navy Blue Imported Clay Worsted Suits. Style 28, 4 to 14 years. Each $4.50.
30862: Fine Navy Blue Tricot Cloth Suits Style 28. 4 to 15 years. Each $4.50.
30864 All Wool Cassimere Suits. Style 28. 5 to 15 years. Medium brown, fast color. Each $4.50.
30866 All Wool Black Diagonal Cheviot Suits. Style 28, 5 to 15 years. Each $4.50.
30868: All Wool Medium Light Gray Checked Cassimere Suits. Very neat pattern,
style 28. Each $4.50.
30870: Fine English Diagonal Worsted Suits, gun powder gray. Style 28. Very neat and dressy. 4 to 14 years. Each $4.75.
30872 All Wool Fancy Brown and Gray Small Checked Cassimere Suits. Superior Quality. Style 28. 5 to 15 years. Each $4.75.
30874: Fine All Wool Imported Diagonal Clay Worsted Suits. Style 28. Two colors: Light grayish brown and dark bluish gray; very neat. Size 6 to 15 years. Each $5.00.
30876: Light Brown Mixed Melton Suits, Style 28, Fine imported goods. Sizes 6 to 15 years. Each $5.25.
30878: Fine All Wool Navy Blue Tricot Cloth Suits. Style 28. Sizes 5 to 15 years. Each $6.00. N.B. All the above suits consist of 2 pieces.
Notice that some of these suits are made in the "sack style". A reader writes, "A 'sack style' suit is one that is not closely fitted to the body. It is a looser style of jacket that hangs straight from the shoulders and is not cinched in at the waist. Perhaps the most famous examples today are made by Brooks Brothers' suits for men and boys. But the tradition of the sack suit is very American and still exists today." The sack suit first appeared in the 1840s, but was more commonly seen in the 1850s. The early sack coats were single-breasted. The sack coat was seen as a sporty style as it was hip-length, shorter than the longer more formal frock coat. A businessman might wear it to go on a picnic. The destinguishing fearture was that the jacket had a straight back without any waist break. The name "sack"was an American term. I'm not positive about the origins of the term. I think it is a reference that to the fact that the early sacks suits were baggy, loose fitting and not well tailored. The British term is "lounge: suit or jacket. It evolved into the sandard men's suit of the 20th century. While the basic form is the straight back without a waist or cross seam, the sack coat came in many sylistic forms, both single and double breasted, varying size lapels, and pocket arrangements.
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