Figure 1.--Here are some of the set offered by Sears in 1941. These sets were popular througout the 1940s, although the styling varied over time. Many had self belts or button-on styling. Suspender shorts were less common.
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Figure 1.--Here are some of the set offered by Sears in 1941. These sets were popular througout the 1940s, although the styling varied over time. Many had self belts or button-on styling. Suspender shorts were less common. |
Here we see the variety of shorts sets offered by Sears in 1941. It was the Boston edition, we thing the Spring-Summer catalog. There are many different matching or coordinated sets. The cut, color, and collar styling varied. Some are more play suits while others are dressier. There is one pair of suspender shorts and one sailor suit. Most are shorts sets, but a few are long sets. There are no knicker sets. Many had self belts or button-on styling. Suspender shorts were less common. They were done in sizes 2-6 years.
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.
We have noted Sears seasonal catalogs, usually Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter catalogs. This was a Boston regional catalog. We are unsure how common these regional catalogs wee and to what extent it affected the merchandise offered.
Here we see the variety of shorts sets offered by Sears in 1941. It was the Boston edition, we thing the Spring-Summer catalog. There are many different matching or coordinated sets. The cut, color, and collar styling varied. Some are more play suits while others are dressier. There is one pair of suspender shorts and one sailor suit. Most are shorts sets, but a few are long sets. There are no knicker sets. Many had self belts or button-on styling. Suspender shorts were less common. They were done in sizes 2-6 years. The sets were grouped into destinctive groups, although this seems more by price than style. They were all done with collared shirts. The collars were done in a variety of styles.
One group of Sears' short sets were "Ring Leaders". They were all priced at $0.98, but styled differently. They were mostly shorts sets, but one set had long pants. They pants were mostly button-on, but there was a pair of suspender shorts. There were various colors done with cotrasting shirts and pants. They were all for boys 2-6 years old. Some of these sets could be worn by a yonger boy for a formal occasion like Church. These were Summer outfits, but might be worn to school before the weaher turned warm. Boys 5 years old attended Kinfergarden and 6 year olds began First Grade.
Sears captioned three sets as "Jim Dandies". The caption read "very fine quality. Even if we added a dollar you'd say they were perfect Jim Dandies 79c each. Verified $1,00 values." I don't see any common features except for the price.
Another three Sears shorts sets were labeled money savers as they only cost 50c each. Other than that, again there does not appear to be any common features. Presumably the materials and workmanship are similar.
Sears offered one shorts set at an especially low price. The ad copy read, "Two-piece Suit of 100x60 Cotton Broadcloth. Waiste with applique trim. Button-on pants." Sizes 2-6. The sey was done in green cobination (shown), all blue, and all yellow.
There were two sets that were not included under any of the major categories. One was a long pants corduroy outfit. The other was a shorts play set with a striped "T"-shirt rather than a collared shirt like the other shorts sets offered on the page. Striped "T"-shirts of course were a main-stay for American boys during the 1940s-50s.
These short sets were a major style for younger children. We are not yet precisely sure of the chronology. I can't remember seeing them commonly in the 1920s. They were, however, an important style for yourger boys in the 1930s and 40s, but had begun declinging in popularity by the mid-1950s. We have not et done a page on this fashion, but will do so as HBC develops.
These garments are sized in years. Children can of course be either or small for their age. Sears provided a converter so parents could order more by actual sizes if they preferred.
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