Figure 1.--This is two of the short pants suits offered by Marshall Fields in 1936. We see both a double-breasted Rugby suit and an Eton suit, both worn with different styled caps.

Marshall Fields in 1936 offered short pants suits for younger boys 4-12 years old. The age range of the various suits varied. Most were done only to to 10 years of age. One of the jackets is double-breasted, the other two are Eton jackets. One of the Eton suits is a three-piece suit done with a button-on blouse. The drawing shiows two other boys wearing short pants suit, but here Fields is marketing overcoats. Most of the boys wearing shorts and knickets are depicted with knee socks. Onr boy wearing an Eton short pants suit is shown wearing ankle socks. At the time ankle socks were growing on popularity. Long stocking were geneally not worn by school age boys and knee socks were beginning to decline in popularity but as shown still widely worn.

A. Patterned Double-breasted Suit

Suit A is a patterned double-breasted suite. The suit is shown with a matching flat cap. It is described as a Rigby suit. We are not entirely sure why. We susapect this just means that it was not an Eton suit which was dome without lapels. It is depicted with short pants, but was a two pants suit, also coming with a pair of knickers. The illustrated model shows the boy wearing knee socks, but unlike the knickers illustrations, not patterned knee socks. The Fields ad copy read, "Rigby double breasted suit with one pair of shorts and one knicker. Coat has a half-belted back. In good-looking sturdy nixed woolen. Sizes 6 to 12, 4713 --$12.95. The sane suit in fine qiality blue flannel, 4714--$14.95. Matching Henley cap. 8804--$1.95." Henley must refer to the British Henley rowing races. This seems a strange usage at the time as only the most tiffy-mosed Americans would know aboutbthe Henkey races. Thr caps worn for the races were peaked school caps, usually in bright colored circles. The cap shown here looks more like a flat cap. These were not cgeap suits. A $13 suit in 1936 would mean something about about $240 in 2020.

C. Eton Suit

Suit C is an Eton suit. The destinctive feature us that bit did not have lapels. The illistratiin show it being worn with a peaked cap and an Eton collar. This is a style often worn by younger boys. And is also show worn with knee socks. The Fields ad copy read, "Beaitifully tailored blue flannel Eton suit, with 2 pairs of shirts. Coat has plain back abd three welt pockets. [Sizes] 5-10. 4717 -- $14.95.

F. Three-piece Eton Suit

Suit F is another Eton suit this one is shown beung worn with an informal sports collar and ankle socks rather than knee socks. The Fields ad copy read, "Three-piece ensemble suit consisting of a tailored Eton coat with a belted back, lined flannel shorts. amd a broadcloth [proably meaning wool] button-on blous. This trim outfit os a vomp;ete dress-ip cistime fie a little boy. Suzes 4 tom10. 4720 -- $6.95. "

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Mbr> Created: 7:33 PM 7/14/2020
Last updated: 7:33 PM 7/14/2020