Figure 1.-- We note Crompton corduroy suits with an ad showing knickers suits. Hard-wearing corduroy was a popular material for boys' suits. It was almost exclusivly a mateial used for boys' clothing. Crompton had a full-page color ad in the 'Ladies Home Journal' (August 1920). This would have been an expensive ad. It shows boys going to private boarding schools wearing flat caps, Norfolk knicker suits, black long stockings, and high-top shoes. The ad copy read, "The Brand of Cloth in his Brand New Suit--makes him feel proud to return to school again! He's wearing a double-duty suit of Crompton 'All-Weather' Corduroy soft, handsome and comfortable, yet so strong and so durable that he can wear it in his roughest games"

Boys still commonly wore suits, even to school. The suit at the beginning of the decade was still the standard garmnt for school-age boys. Norfolk styling was still popular. We see many boys wearing Norfolk suits, especially to school. We don't see short pants suits yet to any extent. Most boys wore knicker suits, usually with black long tockings. Kneepants suits were also available, mostly for younger boys. Older teenagers might wear long pants suits. We note suits made in heavy and light weight material for seasonal wear. The Wearpledge Palm Beach suits here were for summerwear. We also notice a Right-Posture Nofolk suit in a Saturday Evening Post advertisement. There were other styles such as standard single- and double-breasted suits. Most boys except oldr teenagers wore knicker suits. Some examples are shown in a Right-Posture ad. We note Crompton corduroy suits with an ad showing knickers suits. Hard-wearing corduroy was a popular material for boys' suits. It was almost exclusivly a mateial used for boys' clothing

Wearpledge Palm Beach Suits

We note suits made in heavy and light weight material for seasonal wear. The Wearpledge Palm Beach suits here were for summerwear.

Schelenburg Clothing Company

N. Snellenburg & Company was usually referred to as Snellenburg's. It was founded during the era that the great American department stores were founded durung the post-Civil War era. Snellenburg's was founded in 1869. It became a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania fixture. It nice in the retail firmament was as a store for price concius middle class cutomers. It was more than a retail department store, but also was a wholesale clothing manufacturer. And it marketed its clothing in cities without its department stores. One source claims that Snellenburg's became the largest clothing manufacturer in the world. We are not sure this is true. But it certainly was an important company. Right-Posture was Snellenburg's brand of boys' clothing. The manufacturing operation was located in Wisconsin manufacturer. We note quite a number of ads depicting Right-Posture suits, mostly knicker suits. They apparetly advertised in major magazines with destinctive ads illustrated by F.X. Leyendecker--best know for his Arrow Shirt ads.

Right-Posture (March 1920)

This 2-page advertisement spread for Right-Posture boys clothing appeared in the Saturday Eveing Post (March 20, 1920). The artist was Frank X. Leyendecker, a noted early 20th century illustrator. Right-Posture was a brand name for the Snellenburg Clothing Co.. The Saturday Evening Post was one of the most important American magazines at the time. A 2-page advertising spread suggests that Snellenburg was an important manufacturr at the time. The illustration shows the boys playing marbles. They wear a variety of outfits. Most illustrations in clothing catalogs and magazines show American boys wearing flat caps and to a lesser extent beanies. The boys wear various suit, bith Norfolk suits and a single-breasted suit. One boy wears asleeveless sweater. All the boys wear knickers showing how common knickers were in the 1920s. The boys all wear black long stockings and high-top shoes.

Right-Posture Nofolk Suit (April 1920)

We notice a Right-Posture Nofolk suit in a Saturday Evening Post advertisement. The Right-Posture suit illustrated here is a two-piece suit, a Norfolk jacket and knickers. Right-Posture was a brand name for the Snellenburg Clothing Co. Norfolk styling was a major style in the 1910s and still stylish in the early 20s. No specific details are provied on the suit because the ad here was to advertize the brand and not a particular garment. The illustrator was F.X. Leyendecker, anoted illustrator from the early 20th century.

Right-Posture Suits (October 1920)

This Right-Posture ad for Shelenberg's appeared in the 'Saturday Evening Post' (October 16, 1920). The 'Post' was the most popular mass-media magazine at the time. This and the choice of F.X. Leyendecker as an illustrator gave them enormous exposure. As can be seen, knickers and long stockings at the time were standard wear for American boys. Note the Norfolk suit. The mahor variation here was the footwear. High-top lace-up shoes were still standard, but the boy kneeling down wears low-cut dress pumps and the girl white strap shoes.

Crompton Corduroy Suits

We note Crompton corduroy suits with an ad showing knickers suits. Hard-wearing corduroy was a popular material for boys' suits. It was almost exclusivly a mateial used for boys' clothing. Crompton had a full-page color ad in the Ladies Home Journal (August 1920). This would have been an expensive ad. It shows boys going to private boarding schools wearing flat caps, Norfolk knicker suits, black long stockings, nd high-top shods. The ad copy read, "The Brand of Cloth in his Brand New Suit--makes him feel proud to return to school again! He's wearing a double-duty suit od Crompton 'All-Weather' Corduroy soft, handsome and comfortable, yet so string and so durable that he can wear it in his roughest games"

Created: 1:04 AM 1/20/2013
Last updated: 8:44 PM 12/26/2013