Figure 1.--These were the budget-priced long pants suits offered by Sears in 1941. They were done in both single and dounle-breasted suits for boys 4-10 years of age. Notice that Sears considers that double-breasted suits are especially dressy.
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Figure 1.--These were the budget-priced long pants suits offered by Sears in 1941. They were done in both single and dounle-breasted suits for boys 4-10 years of age. Notice that Sears considers that double-breasted suits are especially dressy. |
These two suits were sporty outfits. The blue double-breasted suit had an extra pair of white pants, a popular Summer style. The oher suit was a leisure suit. The leisure suit is most assiciated with the 1970s, it is interesting to seen them in the 1940s. This is the first one I have seen. I'm not sure if they were offered erarlier. These suits were offered by Sears for 1941 in the Boston catalog edition. They were done for boys 4-10 years of age. The leisure suits were done in camel tan and teal green. The jackets were both done with cinched waists. The pants have a full, baggy cut and have cuffs. The prices ranged from $3.29-$4.95.
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.
These two suits were sporty outfits. The blue double-breasted suit had an extra pair of white pants, a popular Summer style. The oher suit was a leisure suit. The leisure suit is most assiciated with the 1970s, it is interesting to seen them in the 1940s. This is the first one I have seen. I'm not sure if they were offered erarlier. These suits were offered by Sears for 1941 in the Boston catalog edition. They were done for boys 4-10 years of age. The leisure suits were done in camel tan and teal green. The jackets were both done with cinched waists which Sears calls a "sports back". The pants have a full, baggy cut and have cuffs. The prices ranged from $3.29-$4.95.
The blue double-breasted suit had an extra pair of white pants, a popular Summer style. They were done for boys 4-10 years of age. The Sears ad copy reads, "Double breasted sports back coat, longies of Navy Blue Cheviot. 3/5 wool, rest cotton. Extra longies of Oyster White corded cotton suiting. Both longies have fly front, self built, pockets." Sizes 4-10. The price was $3.29."
The oher suit was a leisure suit. The leisure suit is most assiciated with the 1970s, it is interesting to seen them in the 1940s. The leisure suits were done in camel tan and teal green. The Sears ad copy referred to this suit as a four star feature: 1) Latest style leisure suit, 2) All wool Shetland type fabric, 3) Famous 'Boyville Jr.' tailoring, and 4) Choices of 2 stylish colors. The Sears ad copy read, "Jacket has patch pockets, sports back. Pleated seams, rayon lined sleeves, yoke. Pleated slacks with usual pockets and self built" The sizes were 4-10. The price was rather expensive, $4.95. Along with the self-belt, the pants had a latex waistband.
This is the first leisure suit that I have seen. I'm not sure if they were offered erarlier. Here it is done for younger boys. We do not know if they were done for older boys or men. Nor do we know how popular they were in the 1940s. Notice that while the model here does not wear a tie, he has buttoned his collar. We do not yet have a page on leisure suits. The leisure suits we remember from the 1970s were primarily for adults and commonly worn with wide white belts. They were normally worn with open-collar shirts.
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