Figure 1.--The Best & Co. summer catalog in 1952 offered "Clothes to Keep Him Cool and Comfortable". The items offered were mostly "T"-shirts and shorts. There was also a Eton cord suit. The illustrations show younger boys, but some of the short pants were made in sizes up to 18 years. |
The Best & Co. summer catalog in 1952 offered "Clothes to Keep Him Cool and Comfortable". The items offered were mostly "T"-shirts and shorts. There was also a Eton cord suit.
The Best & Company appaers to have been an important New York City department store that went natioanl. The built a large store at 645 5th Avenue at East 51st Street, NE Corner (Wing on 52nd Street). It was located in Midtown Manhattan. The building was replaced by the Olympic Tower of Aristotle Onassis. I am not sure when the comapny was founded, but it must have been in the mid-19th century. We note the company handling Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, probably in the 1890s. We note that the company was active in the 1950s and 60s. They varried an extensive line of fashionanle clothes. One fashion writer in 1957 noted that Kays Thompson, author of Eloise autographed at Best & Company in New York where various Eloise products were available. We know that Best & Company was a major U.S. department store chain, but have little information on the company at this time.
The primary summer shirt shown here for boys up to 16 were "T" shirts, especially stripes. "T" shirts since the 1930s had become a summer staple for American boys.
The ad copy reads, "Best's exclusive striped cotton knit shirt. White backgrounds with navy, green or maroon. Even sizes 6 to 16. $2.50". The most popular "T' shirts were stripes for younger boys. Older teens tended to wear white "T" shirts.
The ad copy reads, "Knit cotton shirt. Striped. Navy, gray and white, gray, blue and white, green, tan and white. Even sizes 6 to 14. $1.95."
The ad copy reads, "Mesh cotton shirt. White or navy. Even sizes 6 to 16. $1.75."
The ad copy reads, "Round necked cotton knit shirt. White, yellow, green, navy. Even sizes 6 to 16. $2.50."
The ad copy reads, "Exclusive Chukker (brand name) mesh shirt. White, yellow or navy. Even sizes 6 to 16. $3.00." This was made ib the Rugby style with buttons going part of the way down the front.
Several types of short pants are shown in sizes up to age 18. The popularity of shirts among boys varied widely on a regional basis in America. I never remember older boys weating short pants in the early 1950s, even during the summer. They were more common in the South and were commonly worn at summer camp.
The ad copy reads, "Sturdy cotton khaki shorts. Tan. Even sizes 6 to 12. $3.50. Sizes 14, 16, 18, $3.95." Khaki was one of the most popular colors for boys' shorts in America. Note ther rather dressy two-tone shoes in the illustration.
The ad copy reads, "Cotton gabardine shorts. Navy or brown. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12. $2.95. Sizes 14, 16, 18, $3.95." Dark blues and tan/khaki wwere the two most popular colors for boys' shorts in America. Note ther stripped socks in the illustration. The convention of wraring white socks with shorts was not yet established.
The ad copy reads, "Shorts of cotton denim. Blue or brown. Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12. $1.95." Note the illustration showing the boy wearing saddle shoes.
The ad copy reads, "Sturdy faded blue cotton denim shorts. Even sizes 6 to 18. $2.95." They are shown with a vertical side stripe. These look like the shorts commonly worn at exclusive Northeastern summer camps.
The ad copy reads, "Boxer shorts of woven stripe cotton seersucker. Blue or brown. Sizes 6, 8, 10. 12. $2.95." They are shown with a vertical side stripe. These look like the shorts commonly worn at exclusive Northeastern summer camps.
Mixed in with the casual summer "T" shirts and shorts was a summer suit.
The ad copy reads, "Eton suit of striped cotton cord. Gray, brownor green. Sizes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. $8.95." The illustration showns it being worn with an open-collared shirt.
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