Figure 1.--This page shows the boys' union suits offered by Sears in its Fall-Winter 1942-43 catalog. Click on the image to read the ad copy. There is a good bit of text here. You will note if using a Micrsoft Internet Explorer browser that when you first click here that a large image appears, but which IE quickly reduces in size. To get back the full size, place your cursor on the image. After a few seconds an image adjustment icon will appear in the lower right hand corner. Click here and you will get the full size.

Sears had a second page for boys nion suits. Here we have four different styles. Note that the union suits have much greater prominence than the briefs and tee shirts or than the broadcloth shorts and sleeveless knit shirts. This ad takes up two entire pages of the Sears 1942-43 Fall and Winter catalog (pp. 300-301). In 1942 union suits or waist union suits (see another HBC page for 1942 on the waist union suits) seem to have remained the standard underwear for boys. The shorts and shirts were still a minority style apparently. After the war ended in 1945, union suits, although still available, became less popular.

Separate Page

Sears had a second page for boys nion suits.

Four Styles

Here we have four different styles. Note that the union suits have much greater prominence than the briefs and tee shirts or than the broadcloth shorts and sleeveless knit shirts. This ad takes up two entire pages of the Sears 1942-43 Fall and Winter catalog (pp. 300-301). Since the text for this ad (p. 301) occupies an entire page and is in quite clear print, I didn't think it was necessary to transcribe it. I think you can simply give HBC readers the entire image in readable form. Note that these union suits are for boys from 4 to 16 years old, and that they come in four styles (not three) despite the misleading heading, "3 styles and 4 qualities". The four models illustrate the four different styles: (1) short sleeves and ankle-length legs; (2) long sleeves and knee-length legs; (3) short sleeves and knee-length legs; (4) long sleeves and ankle-length legs (as labeled on the photographic illustration). The boy models all seem to be between about 11 and 13 years old.

Union Suits

In 1942 union suits or waist union suits seem to have remained the standard underwear for boys. The shorts and shirts were still a minority style apparently. After the war ended in 1945, union suits, although still available, became less popular.

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Created: 8:51 PM 3/29/2005
Last updated: 10:26 PM 4/12/2005