Figure 1.--Rompers were especially popular in France and Italy, but we notice them in other counties as well. Here we see a group of German chilldren in the summer 1944. Notice the boy wearing a patterened pir of h-bar rompers. We notice more rompers in Germany during the early 1940s. This may reflect the fact that large quantities of Frech goods were being shipped to Germany as war repriations. These children would not have known it, but at the time photograph was taken, powerful Allied armies were moving toward the birders of the Reich from the east, west, and south.

Most boys in the 1940s wore either short or long pants, but there were other types of pans The knickers that had been so popular in America, rapidly disappeared during World War II. Most American boys wote long pants, but short pants were still worn by many younger boys during the 40s. Short pants were much more common throughout the 1940s in Europe. They were worn by boys in some cases into their early teens. Here social class and family references were important factors. Some older boys wore knickers which persisted in Europe after they had largely disappered in America. Some boys also wore knicker-like ski pants. Rompers were especially popular in France and Italy, but were worn in other countries as well. Rompers could be both play suits and dress outfits. Younger French boys were often dressed up especially for holidays. Notice the Easter romper suit (called a “barbateuse”) that this boy wears for Easter. In Canada, the 1940 Eaton's catalog offered suits with three different styles of trousers--long pants, knickers, and short pants (worn with long stockings). Knickers were dying out in Canada just as in the United States, but short pants suits, often worn with long stockings, were still worn in Canada, not only because of the chilly weather but also because of the cultural conservatism (especially in Quebec) and the greater British influence.