Figure 1.--This is a French-produced post card. It was, however, used postally in Belgium. We are also unsure when it was made, but we suspect the late-1920s. The card has a relatively modern look to it (note the realistic background), the oxford shoes, and the shortness of the rompers suggests that the card was made in the 1920s after World War I. The Belgian post mark is 1930.

This is a French-produced post card. It was, however, used postally in Belgium. We are also unsure when it was made, but we suspect the late-1920s. The card has a relatively modern look to it (note the realistic background), the oxford shoes, and the shortness of the rompers suggests that the card was made in the 1920s after World War I. The Belgian post mark is 1930. Click on this image for more information about the boy's romper outfit.

Nationality

France had a very large post card industry. This is a French-produced post card. It was made by the Alfred Noyer Paris studio. Noyer was a large French producer of postcards untill 1960 . Many of his product was sold in French colonies, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Quite commonly on these postcards, the children were dressed in their best Sunday clothes. Also many small boys ( petits garçons modèles ) were photographed with long hair. This sort of look was apparently very popular with French people, especially mothers. French potcards were sold throughout Europe. (They were less common in America where many cards were English and German, until World War I.) French postcards were often imprinted with holiday greetings in many didfferentb languages. This card is imprented with the generic greeting "anniversary" in French. " Anniversaire " in French means something like "Happy Birthday"--not wedding anniversaries as in America. This sort of greeting was very popular in this time .

Postal Usage

The postcard was, however, used postally in Belgium. The Belgian post mark is 1930. Many of the postcards used in Belgium were made in France.

Chronology

We are also unsure when it was made, but we suspect the late-1920s. The card has a relatively modern look to it (note the realistic background), the oxford shoes, the kneesocks, and the shortness of the rompers suggests that the card was made in the 1920s after World War I. Notive the placement of the belt, this was a style on boys' clothes that was more common before the War than after the War. The fact that the card was mailed in 1930 does not mean that the card was printed in 1930, but we think that the late 1920s is a likely date for when the photograph was taken and the card printed.

Romper Style

This romper suit is an interesting mix of pre-War and post-War styling. The belt in particular was a popular pre-WWar style. A French reader comments on the style of this romper suit, "Notice the frilly style for boys after World war I which appeared in France. It was the French mentality after the War. It was a dress-up garment for Church on Sunday and rompers like this were only worn by boys. To give it a Sunday look, this romper has lace added. This romper was based on a simple model. Later in the 1930s, the classic French romper appeared with more prounced puffed pants and pauffed sleeves became the standard style. The classic style also had Peter Pan collars." While we can not see the back of this boy's romper, almost certainly because of the belt, there was no bow. By the mid 1930s, boys romper suits almost alwats came with bows, like those worn oln girls' dresses.

Actual Usage

We do not know to what extent that romprer outfits like this were actually sworn by French boys. While we have seen post cards with French boys wearing fancy rompers like this is the 1920s, we have seen very few non-staged photographs of French boys actually wearing these outfits.