Figure 1.--This snapshot is unidentified. We believe the child is an American boy at the beach wuth his trusty pooch during the 1950s. He wears romper pants, we believe as swim trunks. This was not very common for boys.

HBC has noted rompers commonly worn by boys on the Continent as late as the early-1960s. They were especially popular in France during the 1950s. And this included both play suits and dress-up outfits. Romper suits were not very common for American boys by the 1950s. And we never see dressy American romper suits, at least in the 20th century. that was a french formulation. We do notice one Americn boy wearing romper pants as a bathing suit (figure 1). This looks rather like the gym pants we notice some Scandanavian boys wearing. This was, however, not very common. Even younger boys did not commonly wear romper suits. Shortalls seem more popular in America for the romper suits worn in Europe, especially France. Rompers im America seem to have largely acquired the image of a girls' style by the 1950s. Girls were still commonly wearing the romper or bloomer style gym uniform in the 1950s. This varied from school to school. More conservative school districts tend to have the romper gym suits. By the end of the decade short pants were becoming more common for gym suits. Girls also wore romper suits as casualwear and swim suits. We see romper suiys becoming popular foir girls play wear. Ehile romper gym suits woild dusappear. Romper play uits for girls would continue popular for some time.

French Style

HBC has noted rompers commonly worn by boys on the Continent as late as the early-1960s. They were especially popular in France during the 1950s. And this included both play suits and dress-up outfits.

Prevalence

Romper suits were not very common for American boys by the 1950s. We find very few exmples of American boys wearing romper suits in the 12950s. they re rare in the photohrphic record. Even younger boys did not commonly wear romper suits. Shortalls seem more popular in America for the romper suits worn in Europe, especially France.

Usage

And we never see dressy American romper suits, at least in the 20th century. that was a French formulation. We do notice one Americn boy wearing romper pants as a bathing suit (figure 1). This looks rather like the gym pants we notice some Scandanavian boys wearing. This was, however, not very common.

Girls

Rompers im America seem to have largely acquired the image of a girls' style by the 1950s. For the most pasrt, boys except for infants no longer wore rompers. We notice many girls wearing rompers in the 1950s. Younger girls wore romper play suits during the summer. They were done in many different patterns and colors and a variety of top designs. They were done in sizes for primary (elementary) school girls. Sleeveless tops seemed popular as this was a summer play style. We also note high schools wih romper gym uniforms. The girls in many schools began weating short pants, but romper suits were maintained at some school. They were a far cry from the volunimous pre-War romper gym suits. The long stockings were gone and the rompers were cut quite short. We no longer seen middy blouses and bloomers. Rather we see one-pice romper gym suits. Girls commonly wore these romper suit style gym uniform asin the 1950s. The gym rompers as far as we know were all one color suits. Some ewere done in school colors. the ones at my high school were blue. This varied from school to school. More conservative school districts tend to have the romper gym suits. By the end of the decade short pants were becoming more common for gym suits. Girls also wore romper suits as casual wear and swim suits. We see romper suiys becoming popular for girls play wear. Ehile romper gym suits woild disappear. Romper playsuits for girls would continue popular for some time.