Figure 1.-- Sears in its Fall and Winter 1930 catalog offered this short pants suit. The pants were described as an English-style shorts. Iam not sure precisely why that was. |
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Here we see two of the items Sears offered in its Fall-Winter 1930 catalog, an articial leather overcoat and an Englidh-style short pants suit.
The ad copoy read, "Artificial Leather Overcoat. Great protection and warmth in this dressy waterproof, embossed black artificial leather coat with beaverized sheepskin collar that buttons up around the neck. Has warm all wool bright plaid lining. Belt all around, two lower pockets with flaps. An excellent all weather coat! Sizes--3 to 9 years. State age size. 40D3844--Black. Artificial
Leather Coat with Beaverized Sheepskin Collar. Postpaid, $4.98."
Sears described this suit as English shots style. I'm not sure just what design feature was seen as English. we note than outfit N had button on shorts. Perhaps these did no and instead were worn with a belt. There is no way of telling from the ad copy or text. A reader writes, "HBC express some question about the meaning of "English style" I think Sears was simply calling attention here to the general preference in the U.S. for knicker pants suits. Short pants suits were also available, but were not nearly as common in the U.S. as in England, where short pants suits were virtually universal. HBC says elsewhere (I think in the section on short pants suits) that the American short pants suit was an imitation of a British
style, and that this style tended to be favored by my affluent mothers for their boys." Perhaps but we are unsure why the short pants in item M and N were not considered English style. The Sears ad copy read, "Popular English Shorts Style. There's style and long wear in this suit with English Style Shorts. Made of excellent quality medium brown, all wool and silk cassimere, in a new attractive herringbone effect weave. Single breasted coat and single breasted vest, full lined with "Seropaca." Shorts have self belt and buckle, two side pockets, one hip pocket, and are fully lined. An attractive little suit made to stand up under hardest wear. Sizes
4 to 9 years. State age size. 40D3336--All Wool and Silk Brown Cassimere Suit, with Two Pairs of Shorts. Postpaid, $5.95. 40D3307--Same Suit except with One Pair of Shorts. Postpaid $4.79." Note thatalthough the suit is idebtified as English-style, the illustration is shown with long stockings rather than kneesocks.
We believe that the illustrations in catalogs were generally accurate, especially as concerns the item being sold. As to the other items, this was not always the case. Note the patterbned long stockings here. These were not unknown, but were also not very common. The question arises as to why the illustrator drew them. In ome cases the accompanying clothes are not destincly drawn. In this case they are not only destinctly drawn but drawing the patterns took a great deal more effort than drawing solid color stockings which were much more common.
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