Figure 1.-- We notice a Putnam & Sons ad in the local newspaperduring 1904. Their offerings included Norfolk, Eton, and double-breasted suitsm although the illustration (upper left coirner) seems to be a generic representation. Putnam & Sons was a boys' outfitters in Lowell, Massahusetts. Their ad is interesting because it shows a store advertising an entire boy's outfit including just about everything but shoes and stockings. This was a local clothier in the industrial city of Lowell that had just expanded its boys' department. Here is the informstion on the suits offered. There are tunic (Russian blouse) suits for younger boys (lower right-hand corner).

Suits were a very important part of a boy's wardrobe in the 1900s. Older boys wore single breasted, double breasted, and Norfolk suits. Eton suits were also offered, but this often meant the collsr style rather than the design of the suit. We see some knicker suits, but kneepants were the most common for boys. This did not change until the end of the decade.

Spiegel Cooper

Spiegel Cooper offered keepants suits in various materials offering suits in sizes up to age 17. Older boys wore single breasted, double breasted, and Norfolk suits. We see some knicker suits, but kneepants were the most common for boys. Spiegel Cooper offered keepants suits in various materials in sizes up to age 17.

Hennessy's Clothing Store

We note a newspaper ad by Hennessy's clothing store in Butte, Montana offering boys' and youths' suits in sizes up to 20 years. A subscription to The American Boy was offered as an enducement to customers. Their ad appeared in the Anaconda Standard (August 17, 1904) and offered boys' and youths' suits and youth's trousers in sizes up to 20 years. We are not sure why boys' trousers were not also specifued. Only very basic information was offered about the clothing. Some of the different types of suits were specified. The trousers are not described. A subscription to The American Boy was offered as an enducement to customers.

Putnam & Son Boys' Outfitter

We notice a Putnam & Sons ad in the local newspaperduring 1904. Their offerings included Norfolk, Eton, and double-breasted suits. Putnam & Sons was a boys' outfitters in Lowell, Massahusetts. Their ad is interesting because it shows a store advertising an entire boy's outfit including just about everything but shoes and stockings. This was a local clothier in the industrial city of Lowell that had just expanded its boys' department and offers in the ad not only suits, but also various accessories, including overcoats, gloves, mittens, blouses, shirts, ties, nightwear, underwear, school caps, tams, underwaists, elastic supporters, and even cuff links. Of course the suit was the most important part of sa boy's wardrobe. The ages are from young boys of 2 up to at least 16.

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Created: 7:41 PM 5/21/2008
Last updated: 7:41 PM 5/21/2008