Figure 1.--Sears here offered a complete outfit. The only garment not included is the tie. The illustration shows a boy wearing a knickers suit. The knickers look to be buckled above the knee. The running boy is carrying his cap. Presumably this is the familiar flat cap with bill. This was an ad in the "Good Housekeeping" November edition meaning it was designed for back-to-school wear. |
Here is another interesting advertisement from Good Housekeeping Magazine, November 1919 (p. 82). The main appeal is for "Boyville" suits. "Boyville" was a Sears brand name. But the ad is for an entire schoolboy's outfit, including pants (above-the-knee knickers), a cap, stockings, shoes, and blouse (or shirt). The sizes involved are from 7 to 18 years. There was no long pants option, even for the larger size suits. One interesting detail is the construction of the "Boyville Blouse" offered (for boys from 6 to 15); this blouse is cut straight across at the bottom (it has no shirt tails) and appears to have two little loops at the hem, presumably to fasten to trousers or underwear waist buttons. Overall,
this advertisement is a good index to the standard elements of a schoolboy's dress in 1919. The suit jacket can be worn with or without a belt. There is only one choice of stocking color--black. The shoes are hightop.
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. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) 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.
This was an ad in the "Good Housekeeping" November edition meaning it was designed for back-to-school wear. Good Housekeeping first appeared May 2, 1885. It was one of of several popular women's magazines established suring the 1880s and 1890s. The magazine provided information about running a home and raising children. This the modern Good Housekeeping conytinues today. The Good Housekeeping seal of approval was developed to assure housewives of a product's value. Letters from readers were an important facet.
One helpful feature of these catalog pages is the terminology used in the catalogs which gives us informstion on comtemprary terms in use. These suits are now commonly called knicker suits. Sears calls them Knicerbocker suits. We note the term "knickers" being used variously in the early 20th century. It was often used to describe any type of shortened-length pants, including kneepants and short pants. The term "Knickerbockers," however, was only used to mean the bloused pants style seen here.
Here is another interesting advertisement from Good Housekeeping Magazine, November 1919 (p. 82). The main appeal is for "Boyville" suits. "Boyville" was a Sears brand name. But the ad is for an entire schoolboy's outfit, including pants (above-the-knee knickers), a cap, stockings, shoes, and blouse (or shirt). The sizes involved are from 7 to 18 years. There was no long pants option, even for the larger size suits. One interesting detail is the construction of the "Boyville Blouse" offered (for boys from 6 to 15); this blouse is cut straight across at the bottom (it has no shirt tails) and appears to have two little loops at the hem, presumably to fasten to trousers or underwear waist buttons. Overall,
this advertisement is a good index to the standard elements of a schoolboy's dress in 1919. The suit jacket can be worn with or without a belt. There is only one choice of stocking color--black. The shoes are hightop.
Sears offered a complete outfit to the boy from head to tgoe.
The suit included matching knicker pants. Notice the sizes wnt up to 18. This mean this suit was made for boys both in primary and secondary schools. There were no long pants available even for older teenagers. The ad copy read, "Boyville Full Lined Pants to Match--Price $3.85 Price especially low. Order an extra pair of pants with the suit. Sizes 7 to
18 years. State size. Shipping weight, 1 1/4 pounds.
40A5--Pants match Suit 40A1. Price $3.85
40A6--Pants to match Suit 40A2. Price $3.85
40A7--Pants to match Suit 40A3. Price $3.85
40A8--Pants to match Suit 40A4. Price $3.85
The outfit of course included the familiar flat cap with bill which was called a "golf cap". In the illustration the running boy is carrying his cap. Presumably this is the familiar flat cap with bill.] They were done in colors to match the suit. The ad copy read, "Boyville Cap to Match--Price, 98 c.
One-Piece Top Winter Golf Style Cap made of same material as suits. Full lined. Stitched band. Long visor. Cloth lined inside pull down band. Sizes 6 1/2, 6 5/8, 6 3/4, 6 7/8, and 7. State size. Average shipping weight, 9 ounces.
40A9--Cap to match Suit 40A1. Price 98 c.
40A10--Cap to match Suit 40A2. Price 98 c.
40A11--Cap to match Suit 40A3. Price 98 c.
40A12--Cap to match Suit 40A4. Price 98 c.
The boy wears his knickers suit with long stockings. The ad copy read, "Boyville Stockings Boys' Fine Ribbed Medium Weight Stockings. Made from two threads of fine quality cotton yarn, with an extra thread knit into the knees and tops. Toes and heels of three thread yarn. Sizes 5 1/2, 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9,
9 1/2, 10. State size. Shipping weight, each pair, 4 ounces.
77A26250--Black. Price 3 Pairs for $1.00." [Note: The stockings are of extra-heavy weave at two points of greatest wear--over the knees and at the top where the clasp of the hose supporter would be
attached. Stocking sizes are keyed to shoe sizes and do not represent age levels. A size 10 stocking is obviously large enough for a boy in his late teens.]
Boys were still wearing high-top shoes rather than oxfords. The ad copy read, "Boyville Shoes Foot form shape, gunmetal finish side leather lace shoe with dull leather top. All leather low heel, leather innersole and counter. Full vamp, not cut
off under the tip. Medium heavy sole, Goodyear welt. State size. Shipping weight, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. 15A375372--Little folks' sizes, 8 to 13 1/2. Price $3.45 15A374910--Boys sizes, 1 to 5 1/2. Price $3.95 15A374123--Young men's sizes, 6 to 9. Price $4.75
Today the term blouse generally is used to mean a woman's shirt. Here blouse is used as there are no shirt tails. Boys commonly wore these garments blouced over their pants rather than tucked in. This topic is addressed in the HBC support of outer clothes page. The ad copy read, "Boyville Blouse Made of mercerized cotton poplin; seams double stitched. Attached collar has buttonholes on points and pearl links. {Note: one of the earliest examples of the button-down shirt.] Two breast pockets. Three-ply open style cuffs with button and buttonhole. Sizes 6 to 15 years. State size. Shipping weight, 6
ounces. 40A13--Price $1.00." Note the little loops or links at hem of straight-cut shirt for attaching to buttons on trousers or underwear.
The suit jacket shows the influence of Norfolk-styling. The belt is a primary design element. Here the belt was optional. The ad copy read, "The Boyville Suit--Price $12.85 "Boyville" Suit can be worn in two ways--with belt or in the new waist seam style. [See diagram for the two different ways to wear this suit--with or without a belt.]
Two-Style Knickerbocker Suit. Can be worn as belt all around model or the new waist seam style. Coat lined with good quality mohair. Pants are full lined. Sizes, 7 to 18 years. State size. Shipping weight, 3 1/2 pounds.
Your choice of four patterns.
40A1--14-ounce wool cassimere. Color, gray. Price $12.85
40A2--14-ounce wool cassimere. Color, brown. Price $12.85
40A3--14-ounce wool cassimere. Color, olive green. Price $12.85
40A4--14 ounce wool cassimere. Color, Blue with stripe. Price 12.85
If by parcel post add amount of postage according to weight and zone.
Send all orders direct to Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, Dallas, Seattle."
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