Figure 1.--This portrait was a AZO post card. It is undated, but was probably taken in the 1910s. Its a little diufficult to make out what the little boy is wearing, but his older brother is wearing a button-on sailor suit. There is no writing on undivided back.

Button-on outfits seem to have made a strong reappeaerance in the 20th century. This is especially the case after blouses with drawstrings declined in popularity. We note many button on outfits appearing in the 1910s. We see them done for both pre-sdchool and elementary (primary) school boys. Sailor suits were popular styles, but there were many others. Oliver Twist suits were another popular style in the 1910s. We see huge numbers in the photographic record. They were done for both play and for more formal events that younger boys may attend. They were often done as shorts sets. The button-on outfits continued to be popular through the 1930s and 40s. They were done in sizes to about8-10 years, but this varied over time. We are not sure why the button outfits so quickly disappeared in the 1950s. Perhaps suspenders and elasticized waists became more popular. We are not yet sure about this. After the 40s we do not see button-on outfits to any extent. An example is button-on outfits mostly being done as fancy outfits for formal events like weddings.

The 1900s

We see many American boys boys in the 1900s wearing tunic suits and blouses wgich had dtring draw striungs causing then to blouse around the waist. Button-on outfits do not seem much more common than in the 1890s.

The 1910s

Button-on outfits seem to have made a strong reappeaerance in the 20th century. This is especially the case after blouses with drawstrings declined in popularity in the 1910s. We note many button on outfits appearing in the 1910s. We see them done for both pre-school and elementary (primary) school boys. Sailor suits were popular styles, but there were many others. Oliver Twist suits were another popular style in the 1910s. We see huge numbers in the photographic record. They were done for both play and for more formal events that younger boys may attend. The buttons were part of the styling for these outfits. We see no major efforts to hide the buttons during the 1910s.

The 1920s

We see buttob-on outfits sone as shorts sets in the 1920s.

The 1930s

The button-on outfits continued to be popular through the 1930s. They were done in sizes to about 8-10 years, but this varied over time. We note a change in the 1930s. The Oliver Twist suits which rather emphasized the buttons as part of the styling disappear by the early-30s. And in shorts-srts, the butoons are no longer emphasized as part of the syling. The bittons were smaller and tended to blend it more than stand out. We also self-belts which covered up the buttons. The belts look like they are holding up the pants. This was not the case. The self-belts were largely ornamental. They covered up the buttons which were wwhat was actually hiolding up the pants. In Europe we see a lot of boys wearing suspender shorts. This was less common in America as a method of pants suspensions. We see these outfits being wirn for play, school, and even dressy, albeit less commonly formal occassions. Here of course a factor was the steady shift towaerd casual styles, especially for children.

The 1940s

We also see button-on outfits in the 1940s. Many shortys sets were done as button-on outfits. This stule seems to be declining by the late -1940s.

The 1950s

After the 40s we do not see button-on outfits to any extent. We are not sure why the button outfits so quickly disappeared in the 1950s. Perhaps suspenders and elasticized waists became more popular. We are not yet sure about this.

The 1970s

We note button-on outfits mostly being done as fancy outfits for formal events like weddings. These were often expensive botique outfits rather than the mass profuction clothes found in catalalogs and deopartment stores.

Created: 4:14 AM 7/21/2009
Last updated: 4:17 AM 3/28/2011