Older French boys, at least older pre-school French boys, began wearing rompers about 1936. This changes took place throughout France. In France was according "Congès payés" rompers were used primarily as a play suit for boys. ["Congés payés" means paid vacations. Guess here it could mean: With introduction in France of paid vacations and resulting extended free time for whole family, rompers were used primarily as play suit for boys.] A new more "puffed" style appeared in 1937, offen buttoned at the crotch. The classic romper appeared in 1938. It was a one-piece suit with both legs and sleeves puffed. The expanded bloomer effect or puffyness ("bufante"?) was stlistic inovation which appeared after 1935/36. They often had "col Claudine" collars (a rounded collar with little ribbon knot). The rompers were worn both with and without embroidery. Some were worn with smocks, but many were worn by themselves without smocks. They usually buttoned at the crotch. They were cut very short. This classic style was worn by French boys without modification until 1965-1968. The style was especially popular in the 1940s and early 50s, but had begun to decline somewhat by 1960. The barboteuse during this period was worn by boys from age 1-6 years, although in the 1960s few 5 and 6 year olds were still wearing them. They were worn as an every day play outfit until they began school (maternelle). There were also barboteuse worn for formal and special events. Some of the smocks for special events might have elaborate smocking (enbroidered) work on the front. Thus many different materials were used, including more expensive materials associated with formal or dressy clothes. These dressy rompers for formal or special events, a French contributor says "beautifull circumstances" became very poular about 1938. The dressy versions often had romper bottoms or pants that especially bloomered or puffed out.

The 1930s

Older French boys, at least older pre-school French boys, began wearing rompers about 1936. The French term is barboteuse. The note the term beingb used in the early 1930s, but for a variety of younger boy outfit with regulsar short pants rather then the puff pants foe which rompers became known. An example here is the French department store Au Bon Marche in 1935. This change took place throughout France. In France was according "Congès payés" rompers were used primarily as a play suit for boys. ["Congés payés" means paid vacations. Guess here it could mean: With introduction in France of paid vacations and resulting extended free time for whole family, rompers were used primarily as play suit for boys.] A new more "puffed" style appeared in 1937, offen buttoned at the crotch. The classic romper appeared in 1938. It was a one-piece suit with both legs and sleeves puffed. The expanded bloomer effect or puffyness ("bufante"?) was stlistic inovation which appeared after 1935/36. They often had "col Claudine" collars (a rounded collar with little ribbon knot). The rompers were worn both with and without embroidery. Some were worn with smocks, but many were worn by themselves without smocks. They usually buttoned at the crotch. They were cut very short. This classic style was worn by French boys without modification until 1965-1968. We notice a 1939-40 sewing oattern for a romper suit.

Figure 1.--Here we see a boy name Pierre wearing a romper suit, we think in the 1940s.

The 1940s

The classic French romp[er style was especially popular in the 1940s and early 50s.They were worn as an every day play outfit until they began school (maternelle). There were also barboteuse worn for formal and special events. Some of the smocks for special events might have elaborate smocking (enbroidered) work on the front. Thus many different materials were used, including more expensive materials associated with formal or dressy clothes. These dressy rompers for formal or special events, a French contributor says "beautifull circumstances" became very poular about 1938. The dressy versions often had romper bottoms or pants that especially bloomered or puffed. A French reader writes, "After World War II children were especially cherished. French styles for younger boys became rather fancy, even frilly. Popular detailing gor rompers included smocking, emboieteries, big bows in back, very short pants, and expanded puffing. Given the age of the childre, most had no real opinion about their clothes. Some mothers even added curls to the hair of pre-school children. This was done by putting the boy to bed with a few rollers in his hair. Throught history there were times when equal or even great attention was ghiven to dressing boys than girls. It is a culture question. If averybody is saying to a boy "how beautiful you are", the child regards this as quite normal which in fact it was at the time."

Figure 2.--This is a French toddler who looks to be 2 years old wearing a romper suit in 1953.

The 1950s

We notice rompers being widely worn by French pre-school boys in the early 1950s. It was the popular style for boys before they began school. Some boys may have woirn rompers after beginning school, bit not to school. For the most part, however, it was a pre-school style. The one we have seem mostly to be the light blue rompers. The styles included both the classic one-piece style with the bow at the back. We also notice the rompers with bib fronts. They were wiorn for both special occassions and for play. Most of the images we have noted are from the early 1950s. We notice far fewer images from the late 1950s which we believe reflects the declining popularity of rompers in France. We believe that another trend is that younger boys by the later part of the decade were wearing them. We also notice boys in Belgium wearing what look klike identical rompers during the 1950s.

The 1960s

The popularity of the classic romper had begun to decline somewhat by 1960. The barboteuse during the 1940s-50s were worn by boys from age 1-6 years. By the 1960s few 5 and 6 year olds were still wearing them. This seemed to follow a comparable trend with fewer boys wearing short pants as well. During the 1960s short pants became more of a seasonal casual garment. More boys even boys in primary scjool wanted to wear long pants. And boys 5 and 6 years old no longer wanted to wear rompers. Gradually rompers began to be seen as a baby or toddler garment. These trends became especially pronounced in the late 60s. We note a boy wearing rompers in q1967 whon looks to be about 3 years old.