Figure 1.-- Here I am at my big brothers First Communion in 1952. I usually wore rompers as a little boy. Here I am dressed in a dressy white romper at age 5 years. It is a classic French barboteuse. I was the petit garçon modèle to my mum. My aunt was a bit jealous becaus her son (my cousin) never was a petit garçon modèle. Here he is the little boy 6 years old, at my side. I stoped wearing rompers at about age 6 when I began school.

Here are some details of my childhood. I have an older brother named André born in 1939 and a younger named Bernard born in 1952. I was born October 5, 1947. There is a difference of 8 years between me and André. This is due to the fact that my father was a prisoner of war in Germany for 5 years during World War II. Fifteen days before my birth my maternal Grandmother died accidently, she was only 54 years old. My mother was so distressed that I was born 1 month before the date envisaged. My maternal Grandmother had already chosen my first name: it was Danièle. (She had hoped for a little girl.) My mother out of reppect thus kept this first name and gave me as a second name. My Grandmother herself who was Gabrielle and put them into the masculine form. My father had a small painting company with five employees. I called my mother Maman meaming mom. {The babies say man-man.} She helped her mother at her café-restaurant in Courbevoie [Courbevoie is a city surburbs of Paris} wich belonged to my Grandmother. After the death my Grandmother, the café-restaurant was sold. In 1950 my Parents settled in Nogent sur Marne [Nogent sur Marne is a city near Paris on the Marne river]. I have had a wonderful childhood spent between Nogent sur Marne and Chantilly [Chantilly ( 60 kms from Paris ) is a famous French royal city with a big palace and huge land for hunting] where my grand-parents lived. (I have kept this house ). I usually wore rompers until I was 6 years old. My mother entered me in a private school near home. She liked the idea that there were both boys and girls at the school. Up to the age 9 years old I always wore nice tabliers. [Tablier = smock for boys 2 to 8/10 years old. Fashion till 1960s. It was buttonned at the back, had a waist belt buttoned at the back too.] These smocks were made in plain or gingham cloth. The smocks were a pupil garment but could be also worn in the street for playing. plain or gingham cloth. And avery day I wore hair-barrette, the same the girls had. From about age 10, I began wearing blouses** and still I wore short pants. I had two short pants, one was worn for Sunday and other was worn during the week. For Sunday my short pants were navy blue. Maman always put out white knee socks for me so I would look "beautiful" as she would say. For my first Communion I well remember still wearing short pants, and knee socks under my cassock. I think that I was occassionaly dressed in long trousers a few time, only during the winter when it really got cold. I remember I liked the short trousers contrary to the opinion of some of my friends. [About the short pants. In reality, we, French boys 1940-1950s under 14 years old had not real opinion about it. In fact the teenagers wearing longs pants often were children coming from poor or foreign family.] For my last primary school year I still wore short pants, that was in 1961 when I was just 14 years old. I knew that my life as teenager was going to be a great step. With sadness I knew that rompers and short trousers were put away for ever in the cupboard of my childhood. At age 14 years and 1 month, in November 1961 Maman bought to me my first long trousers.

Our Family

I have an older brother named André born in 1939 and a younger named Bernard born in 1952. I was born October 5, 1947. There is a difference of 8 years between me and André. This is due to the fact that my father was a prisoner of war in Germany for 5 years during World War II (1940-45). After the fall of France (1940), the NAZIs interned practically the entire French Army in Germany. They did not return home until the Allies crossed the Rhine and liberated the POW camps (1945). My father had a small painting company with five employees. I called my mother Maman meaming mom. {The babies say man-man.} She helped her mother at her café-restaurant in Courbevoie [Courbevoie is a city surburbs of Paris} which belonged to my Grandmother. After the death my Grandmother, the café-restaurant was sold. In 1950 my Parents settled in Nogent sur Marne [Nogent sur Marne is a city near Paris on the Marne river]. I have had a wonderful childhood spent between Nogent sur Marne and Chantilly [Chantilly ( 60 kms from Paris ) is a famous French royal city with a big palace and huge land for hunting] where my grand-parents lived. (I have kept this house ). We were a very close not loving family. Our Maman was wonderful. A little boy could not want more loving mother. My little brother and I were closer in age. Even we three boys got on well together. André was to much older tham me to play togeher like Bernrd and I did. I remember him, however, as being very gentle and protective. This is not always the case with older brothers.

My Arrival

My mother tells me that ny grandmother was very happy about my expected arrival. Tragically, 15 days before my birth my maternal Grandmother died accidentally when she was only 54 years old. My mother was so distressed that I was birth (1 month before the date envisaged by my mother), my maternal Grandmother had already chosen my first name--Daniele. (She had hoped for a little girl.) My mother out of respect thus kept this first name and gave me as a second name that of my Grandmother who was Gabrielle by putting them into the masculine form. So I had two Christian names : Daniel followed by grand-mother's Christian name.

Childhood at Nogent on Marne

In 1950 my Parents settled in Nogent on Marne. I had a wonderful, happy childhood in Nogent and Chantilly. My paternal grandparents also lived there. My mother loved me very much and she chose to give me a tender look when she dressed me. I was dressed and taught to behave as a petit garçon modèle. There is no perfect translation for this. HBC has desribe it very well in its garçon modèle page. I was proud of all the attention which came with being a petit garçon modèle.

Garments

Only the mothers and grand-mothers decided in France during 1920-70 concerning maters of children's garments. The fathers had no word to say, even when the child was teen. This was certainly the case in our family. Today, both father and mother choose the garments and the child himself too. I remember the cloyhes I wore as a child very clearly. And we have family photographs for the time that I was really young. As a result I can privide very detailed information about what I wore as a boy. My mother was a very stylish, fashionable women. And she wanted us children to be dressed fashionanly as well.

Hair Style

As a little boy before I entered school, I had long hair. Mother did it in various styles, but as soon as his hair grew, mother had me wear my hair long. It is longer than most boys, but it was seen as quite stylish at the time by most French mothers. Every day I wore hair-barrette, the same the girls had. Moter also had my little brother wear his hair long and dressed him in rompers like mine. Our hair was not dine identically, but simarly. You could tell we were boys, however because we wore rompers. Girls at the time wore dresses.

Growing Up

Of course I remember even more about my boyhood clothes as I got older. After I stopped wearing rimpers I mostky wore short pants. I wore them basically year round. I think that I was occassionaly dressed in long trousers a few time, nut my memories are dim about this. It would have only during the winter when it really got cold. Usually I wore shorts. I had different kinds, including bib-front shorts. I wore shorts with both ankle sicks and knee sicks. I remember I liked the short trousers contrary to the opinion of some of my friends as we got older. About the short pants, In reality, we, French boys under 14 years old during the 1940s and 50s did not really think much about it. It was just considered the ordinary clothes to wear. This began to change in the late-50s and early-60s. In fact the teenagers wearing longs pants often were children coming from poor or foreign family.] For my last primary school year I still wore short pants, that was in 1961 when I was just 14 years old. I knew that my life as teenager was going to be a great step. With sadness I knew that rompers and short trousers were put away for ever in the cupboard of my childhood. At age 14 years and 1 month, in November 1961 Maman bought to me my first long trousers.

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