Figure 1.-Here are the modeled shirt-like garments offered by Stern in its ummer 1910 catalog. |
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Boys in 1910 wore a variety of shirt-like garments. We note primarily shirts, shirt-waists, and blouses. Blouses were still very common for boys, including younger teens. By blouses we mean shirt-like garments without tails that bloused at the waist using a drawstring. Stern Brothers was an important retailer in the eraly-20th century. This 1910 page from the Stern Brothers' summer catalog show a range of garments and items, mostly for boys (figure 1). It primarily offers blouses, shirts, and collars, but a few other items such as rompers (for boys and girls) and overalls. The descriptions provide the age sizes. One term we do not understand is 'negligee' blouse and shirt. We are not sure how widely the term was used. A reader writes, "The negligee blouse refers to the material and was dressier (usually white and more delicate material) than other materials used in a blouse." We note what Stern Brothers' refers to a negligee blouse or shirt both with attached and detachable collars. Notice all the detachable collars which are unnamed. They attached to shirt waists and blouses to attach to blouses to size 14 1/2 which is easily a boy of 16 to 18 years old. At that time colors were not wash fast which means they were much more difficult to maintain and keep looking good so white was an easier color to keep fresh looking. Some colors were wash safe just not all. Stern alo mentions shirt coats. We are not sure just what that meant, but it invoved the style and not the fabric. We note a wide range of collars, much more variety than modern collars. The two basic types were attached and detachable collars. There wre also different styles like Eton and Peter Pan collars, but many of the other collars do not seem to have had destinctive names.
Boys in 1910 wore a variety of shirt-like garments. We note primarily shirts, shirt-waists, and blouses. Blouses were still very common for boys, including younger teens. By blouses we mean shirt-like garments without tails that bloused at the waist using a drawstring. Stern Brothers was an important retailer in the eraly-20th century. This 1910 page from the Stern Brothers' summer catalog show a range of garments and items, mostly for boys, Th modeled items can be seen hre (figure 1) and the filded items (figure 2). Stern primarily offered blouses, shirts, and collars, but a few other items such as rompers (for boys and girls) and overalls. The descriptions provide the age sizes. One term we do not understand is 'negligee' blouse and shirt. We are not sure how widely the term was used. A reader writes, "The negligee blouse refers to the material and was dressier (usually white and more delicate material) than other materials used in a blouse." We note what Stern Brothers' refers to a negligee blouse or shirt both with attached and detachable collars. They attached to shirt waists and blouses to size 14 1/2 which is easily a boy of 16 to 18 years old. Stern alo mentions shirt coats. We are not sure just what that meant, but it invoved the style and not the fabric.
At that time colors were not wash fast which means they were much more difficult to maintain and keep looking good so white was an easier color to keep fresh looking. Some colors were wash safe just not all.
We note a wide range of collars, much more variety than modern collars. The two basic types were attached and detachable collars. There were also different styles like Eton and Peter Pan collars, but many of the other collars do not seem to have had destinctive names. Notice all the detachable collars which are unnamed.Fauntleroybcollars were still common in the 1900s, but had largely passed out of styl by the 1910s. Saiot collars were still worn, but not offered ion gthis page.
The Stern Brothers Department Store in New York was founded by the sons of German Jewish immigrants that began selling dry goods in Buffalo, New York. From these humble beginnings the Stern Brothers became an important merchandising family in New York City. The entire family worked in this store, which carried both luxury goods and merchandize for the working classes. It was an elegant store noted for its fashionable clothes. This enterprise was distinguished by its elegant door men in top hats and by the generous and friendly service of the Sterns themselves. It eventually was taken over by Federated Stores and the various Stern stores were converted into Bloomingdakes and Macey stores.
This Stern Brothers pages provides many of different shirt-like iptions available for boys at the time. We see shirts, shirt waisrs and blouses. There was also a range of detachanle collars.
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There were quite a few shirt-like garments offered on this page. Notice that even though this was a summer catalog that all of these garments and even some of the romper suits had long sleeves. Some of the shirt-like garments were folded up and others were modeled. Not all of these shirts have age sizing, but many were for school-age boys from 8-15 years of age. The models are all shown wearing knickers and ling stockings, except for the boys wearing overalls or rompers.
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's and youth's negligee shirt, with soft collar and cuffs attached, coat style, in mercerized soisette, tan or white, 12 1/2 to 14 1/2 ... 95c and $1.45. Similar style, in plain light gray or khaki flannel. ... 1.45. Also, handsome stripe mercerized pongee at 1.75."
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's and youth's colored Madras negligee shirt, with soft collar and cuffs attached, also in plain blue chambray, sizes 12 1/2 to 14 inches neck measure. ... 69c and $.95. Similar style, in cotton ... .69."
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's and youth's laundered colored negligee coat shirt, cuffs attached, also all white,; 12 1/2 ton 14 1/2 inches neck measure ... 95c and 1.45. Similar style, white and colored, not coat style ... .69." Aklso coat shirt, in white or colored, plaited; 12 1/2 to 14 1/2. ... .95." WE are not sure why the shirts werevlaundered, prhap to check on the colors to be sure they werre fast.
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's all white laundered plaited blouse, without collar; sizes 8 to 15 years ... .95."
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's colored or all white laundered blouse, without collar 8 to 15 years. ... 69c and .95." Similr style unlaundered. ... 48c."
The Stern ad copy read, "Boy's negligee blouse, soft collar attached, colored Madras; 8 to 15 years. ,
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Stern offered quite a few different styles od detachable collars. We see some that look like Eton, and Peter Pan collars, and others that we do not know how to identify. Stern doesn't help us here and just says 'B39 to B47 Boy's linnen collars' without any further identification. They were done in neck size 11 1/2 to 14 inches. And there was an additional B48 'Soft cotton collar; 12 1/2 to 14 inches." There was also a dickey or shield. These were worn with sailor suits. The ad copy read, "B27 Separate shiekd , of white pique, with white linnen embroideredemblem; sizes 6 to 12 years.
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