French Rompers: Material


Figure 1.--Here is a portrait of a little boy wearing wearing a knitted wool romper. These rompers were often knitted a hime by grandmoters and aunts. The portrait was taken in 1933. This was about when the puff or baloon style rompers began to appesar.

HBC at this time has very little information concerning the material used for rompers. Play rompers were commonly made of gingham (vichy cloth). We are less sure about dressy rompers for formal occassions. Some especially dressy suspender rompers were made of velvet. Some rompers for winter wear were made of wool, especially knit rompers. Corduroy ("velour millerais") corduroy was also popular for winter rompers. After World War II, cloth fabric to make clothes was both expensive and difficult to obtain. So many mothers and grandmothers knitted rompers with any knitting wool they could obtain. This is when many of the rompers made in the Winter style began to appear. Wool rompers for babies were sold in market and in boutiques. The rompers for older boys in larger sizes were usually knitted by family members. One could find pattern everywhere (magazines, pattern companies, school sewing classes, ect). Often the rompers in the stores usually only went up to sge 4-5 years, buth this varied over time.








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Created: 12:39 AM 12/23/2009
Last updated: 12:39 AM 12/23/2009