Figure 1.--Boys still wore sailor suits in the 1910s, although they had declined somewhat in popularity. Sears offered a variety of sailor suit outfits for school age boys. These were more or less comparable to the popular tunic suits, but they were done with middy blouses rather than tunics. They seem to have the same bloomer knickers. The age range was only slightly higher. This suit was made in linen rather than a cotton fabric. We do not fully understand the use of linen for children's clothes.

Boys still wore sailor suits in the 1910s, although they had declined somewhat in popularity. Sears offered a variety of sailor suit outfits for school age boys. These were more or less comparable to the popular tunic suits, but they were done with middy blouses rather than tunics. They seem to have the same bloomer knickers. The age range was only slightly higher. We have one example of these sailor outfits. The sailor outfit here was for a boy 5-10 years old. This is essentially school age. We do note some of the younger boys at school during the 1910s wearing sailor suits. This suit was made in linen rather than a cotton fabric. We do not fully understand the use of linen for children's clothes.

Sears

The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1895 bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.

Terminology

There are several interesting terms used here. Linen color would be a kind of off white or cream. The illustration, however, suggests a somewhat farker shade. Red silk (sometimes spelled repp) is high quality silk with tight horizontal ribs. The shield refers to the dickey, the decorative element between the "V: sailor colar. Bloomer pants would be same type of pants work with tunic suits. While not shown in the illustration they would be side buttoning with a front flap. The knee hem would be elasticizied or have a string closure rather than strap or button closures.

Ad Copy

The ad copy read, "$1.75. No. 40R2284. Pure Linen Sailor Suit. Natural linen color with red trimmings. White rep silk embroidered shield. Cuffs made to button. Bloomer pants, Sizes--5 to 10 years. State age."

Garments

There are four garments making of the Sears sailor suit here. The blouse and scarfe are well illustrated. The shield (dickey) and bloomer knickers are less clear.

Middy blouse

This sailor sut has a pullover middy b;ouse. It was done in natural linen which means a cream color and trommed in red. Note how it bloused at the waist. There would have been a string rin through the hem of the bluse and than drawn togrether and tied to create this b;ousing affect. This is then tucked in and the bloucing overlaps it. Notice the pocket and button cuffs. There is a star bar on the sleeve rather than a rank badge.

Shield/dickey

We see an embroidered shield (dickey), but it is difficult to make out the design. The dickey was rep silk, a fabric popular for neckties. It looks to have been done in white to contrast with the darker cream color of the suit. The embrodery was probably done in red to match the red trim of the middy blouse. What is not clear is how the dickey was attached. We would guess that this was a derachable dickey. The suit could be worn without it during the summer or when the boy was not dressing up. One possible way od attaching it was a button in the back of the blouse and buttons on the inside of both sides of the "V" collar.

Scarfe

We are not entirely sure the suit came with the scarfe, but it is pictured in the illustration. Presumaby it would have been red to match the trim of the middy blouse.

Bloomer knickers

The bloomer knickers are not well detailed here, other than they blouse out which was the popular style in the 1910s. Notice Sears calls them "bloomer pants". This suggests to us that they were not proper which they look like in the illustration. Bloomer pants would be same type of pants work with tunic suits. This was common for boys 5 years old, but fot for 10 year olds. Bloomer knickers would have side buttons and a front flap rather than a fly. The knee hem would be elasticizied or have a string closure rather than strap or button closures used on proper knickers. What is mot real clear from the illustration is how b;oomer knickers were held up. As far as I know, they were never made with belt loops.

Age

The sailor outfit here was for a boy 5-10 years old. This is essentially school age. American boys began school with 1st grade at age 6. Some boys stated with Kinder garten at age 5 years. We do note some of the younger boys at 1910s schools during the 1910s wearing sailor suits. We do not, however, notice them very commonly wearing sailor suits with bloomer knickers or knickers.

Material

This suit was made in linen rather than a cotton fabric. We do not fully understand the use of linen for children's clothes. Cotton would have been cheaper. We are not sure about the wear and washing characteristics. Linen shirts for me are considered higher quality than cotton shirts. We are not sure why this is besides the price. As this suit is made in linen, we suspect it might have been for drssing up rather to be worn as a play suit. We are not yet, however, sure about this.

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Created: 4:44 PM 8/18/2007
Last updated: 4:44 PM 8/18/2007