Figure 1.--Here we see Jean (born 1927) and Claude (born 1929) as little boys in various outfits during the early 1930s along with a commercial postcard from 1935 for comparative purposes.

I can tell HBC about family friends, Jean and Claude. Jean was born January 1927 and Claude February 1929. The boys came from a privileged familly. Both were lovingly cared for and had a wondefull boyhood, but never were dressed along the lines of the petit garçon modèle -- this French vogue came a bit later - after the big succes the novel Comtesse de Ségu amoung the little girls. Sometimes thd clothesworn by French boys in the inter-war period is confused by the large number of available commercial postcards. The children portrayed in these postcards mostly depicted children in their their dress-up Sunday garments. Of of course these are ideal poses. Some town children in towns were actually dressed like this, especially the children from wealthy families, withbrhe exception of the exessive use of ribbons and lace. Of course this is not how the children of working-class or farm children dressed.

The Postcard

This postcard was made in 1938. Notice the persons are simple dressed in their Sunday clothes. The props are a couple of flowers and a white chair. The portait from the same period when Jean and Claude were boys is very idealized. Very probably it actually was the mother and father and their little boy. The little boy is dressed in normal way, his suspender pants, kneesocks, as well as his hair were all popular styles in for well-to-do families in fashionable Paris during the 1930s for little boys less than 8 years old. Notice the white kneesocks. You rarely seen boys with black kneesocks in these postcards. The boy's double strap shoeswere not very common. The outfit might have been seen as a little girlish, but not particularly juvenile. The boy's blouse is a simple style. It has no collar and looks to be made in a satin material. There looks to be little dark rinnons at the shoulder. The pants are a popular style during the 1930s-1950s. They were cut very short and did not have a fly. They were suspender shorts with large front buttons. When the weather was slightly chilly, his mother would add a gilet. The question arises if the boy actually was dressed like that or if this was a special costume for the postcard. I can recall around 1950 I myself was photographed for several postcards. I can recall that we were not paid. I perfectly remember I was not specialy dressed for the postcard shoot.

French Boys Clothes

Here we have an example of how French children were dressed at different ages. We have images of Jean and Claude as boabies, boys, and teenagers. This is how boys in the 1930s really dressed. They were a rea;itively affluent family. Unlike America, most French families at the time did not have cars. But practically most children had the same look. Jean and Claude were not specialy dressed for these photos. Even in familly with low income one could seen children correctly dressed. One of the reasons for this was the schools insisted that the children come to school clean and with shoes. School was compulsary all day from Monday through Saturday morning. Thursday was free, but one had to go for cathechism 1 or 2 hours. Sunday children had to go to Mass. Farm children regulary helped their parents. This was still very common in the inter-war era. City boys did not work. There were very strict child labor laws. Boys only had to school and the rest of the time they were free to play. Girls were expected to help their mother at home. The eldrr daughter would be responsible for watching over their younger siblings.

The Family

These boys came from an affluent family. Thus they had a larger wardrobe than many French children at the time. In their house there was a maid, but the boys did not have a nanny. They did not live in Paris, but in south-central France.

Baby Portraits

Many French babies were photographed in Adam [birthday] suit. For us it is a perfectly normal thing. Mothers brought their babies to photographic studios for beautifull rememberances. Personnaly I am not so fond of this tradition. I prefer a child beautifully dressed in several day life activities. Jean and Claude had these baby photographs taken. This photograph was done by a famous photographer, probably an expensive one. Notice the baby has a little necklace, it is his only accessory. This necklace was bought at the chemist's [drugstore] and helps avoid some hygienic problem from his very short neck. One can't see his gold bracelet and medal , theses two little jewels mean that the baby is baptised. On his bracelet it was written his Christian name and birthday. The medal shows a Saint Angel or the Virgin. The name was also written at the back. Today all the new baptised baby recieve one, even in our colonies. It is still the tradition. This accessory was very popular and my two first children have had them. I have keept one. A a boy I hated my Adam baby picture. I no longer remember where I hid it. What a pity because I was a beautifull baby.

Baby Clothes

Babies wore wool garments. Ppracticly all French babies wore light-colored wool garments. Tights were unknow. Long knitted white might be wor by toddlers. Jean wore short wool pant with a gilet, not a one-piece romper which became more popular in the mid-1930s. Babies and toddlers commonly wore a nice " bavoir " (bib) wich was often lovingly hand-worked. His kneesocks could be fancy hand-knitted. Boys and girls wore the same hosiery. Babies and todlers might have jewelry. Jean had a gold bracelet and a chain medal since he was baptised. He had like other new born babies a necklace made of special pearls. A girl baby would have worn a short wool dresse and a gilet and of course a fine bavoir. I am not sure why Jean is not wearing a bonnet.

First Car (1928)

Here we see Jean and his mother with the family's first car about 1928. He was about 2 years old. Notice the case Jean is standing on, I think it was the car's tool kit. Claude wears a cap and what looks to be a matching coat. Stragely although the weather looks cool, he does not wear soks. He also wears white sandals.

Playmates (1929)

Jean was very glad to have such an active little brother to play with. In this photograph baby Jean has white long stocking or perhaps ecru. His short pants didn't have a buttonning croch which was common. Eather it was a sort of one piece attached at the shoulders by two little ribbons, rather similar to a romper suit or barboteuse. One could say, the first ordinary romper. Not long after the babies and younger boys were wearing puffed rompers. A pin barrette hold his bib at the front. He wears white " babyfoot " training shoes. He seems to be very happy. If he had been born 5 years later, he would have worn a wool romper like most French babies did.

Nursery School (1930)

Jean wore a smock to his nursery school. I don't know if it was required by the school or not. Smocks were very commonly worn at French schools during the 1920s and 30s, especially in nursery schools by both boys and girls. Many nursery schools did require them. They were also common in primary schools, but less commonly required there. Jean appears to have worn his smock with a belt. That was not very common. Jean often kept his smock on when playing after school. Older boys would have been more likely to take their smock off. Here we see him playing with his little brother in their pedal car. It mist have been cool because Claude is wearing a snowsuit and Jean has a sweater on over his smock. He wears unusual stripped ssocks. I have not noted them very commonly during the 1920s and 30s. The boys seem to be in the court yard of their home.

Knit Outfits (1930)

Knit outfits were very popular in France , especially during the inter-War period. Here we see the boys in 1930. The knot outfits here were very populkar for pre-school boys. It consisted of a short, pullover sweater, and very short pants looking almost like bathing trunks. A vest might be added on cool days. The outfits were commonly knitted by the mother or granmother. They were worn for many occassions, such as playing at home or around the home, pasrk outings, or Summer holidays. Here the boys wear their knit outfits for a vist with grandmother. This style was still fashionable for little boys in the 1950s and could also be bought in boutiques.

Sunday Outing (about 1930)

Here we see Jean and Claude on a Sunday outing, preseumably a drive in the country after church and a picnic. The boys are pictured in front of a beautiful new car their father just purchased. The straight-pane wind shield and the large head lamps help date the image. The boys wear matching outfits. Both boys have fashionable white berets. They have blazers with short pants worn with open collars. Short-cut shorts had become very stylish for younger boys. Older boys wore longer shorts, although by the mid-30s older boys were also wearing shorter shorts. Here there were social-class factors. Boys from affluent families like Jean and Claude commonly wore the shorter-cut shorts. The boys do not wear Peter Pan collars or rompers, both styles which became popular for younger boys after the mid-30s.

Play Clothes (1931)

Here we see the children wearing play clothes. Jean wears a button-on suit. Actually these styles could be worn for both play and more dressy occassions. Often the new outfit would be the dressy one and the older one used for play. These button-on suits were very popular during the 1980s for boys up to about 8 years of age. Claude wears what looks like a knitted sweater. Both boys wear sandals without socks. This was very common during the summer. They were called sandalettes. Younger boys might wear these button-on outfits to school with a smock. If the weather turned chilly mother might add an undershirt or for a dressy look, a jacket on sunday. Collars, both pointed ones and Peter Pan collars became smaller in the 1930s.

Garden Scene (about 1931)

We note that Jean was wearing a similar outfit to the boy in the postcard, not without a fancy blouse and shoes. It was his ordinary clothes for the day. He wore sandalettes with light-colored kneesocks. Here he is playing in the garden with his little brother. Claude wore a wool knit suit. These knit suits were very popular until 1950s for little boys. Notice he wore also white training shoes called " babyfoot ". These shoes were considered to be good for a growing toddler's feet. Claude' socks were probably knitten by an elderly aunt or grandmother, but could have been purchased in the store.

Trike and Scooter (1932)

Here we see Jean on his " tricycle ". The photograph looks to have been taken about 1932. French children called it a " vélo " and the educated persons a " bicyclette ". Claude is on his " patinette ". A French reader tells us that, "In Jean and mine time; one called a scooter a patinette. Now people and children say " trotinette ". After World War II the patinette could have a mecanic pedal to drive it. At home one might say " bicyclette " but between our playfriends we normally said only " vélo ". Today almost averybody says " vélo ". Both boys here wear identical knitted sweaters. They look like white sweaters, but I am not sure. Notice their matching pendants.

Underwear

A little information about the underwear worn by French children during the 1930s. I suppose Jean had a white undershirt and underpant called " Petit Bateau " Claude had only a undershirt called " chemise de jour ". A bit later in 1935, even the toddlers were wearing Petit Bateau. By 1940 practicly all French children wore this style. After World War II, German and Austrian children were also wearing this type of underwear. dopted this model .

Suit

Claude has a hat, a " chapeau rond ". He is wearing a classic short pants suit. It has very short short suspender pants. They button at the side and do not have a fly. Notice that the waist was quite hight. It was to protect his back. The shirt has an open collar. He has white sandalettes with white kneesocks. It was not his special Sunday clothes; but his normal everyday garments.