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Mail order catalogs show major changes in Canadian boys clothes during the 1910s. Several important fashion trends are notable. Styles in the early part of the decade are quite similar to the 1900s, but we begin to see many new styles by the end of the decade after World War I. Younger Canadian boys might wear sailor suits. We see Canadian boys wearing knickers suits with flat caps and long stockings during the 1910s. Quite a range of underwear styles were available for children in 1919. The styles were still quite different from modern styles. There were shirts, drawers, and combination or "union" suits with the shirts and pants combined. There were also waists, a support garment worn by women and children. Also sometimes combined with the waists are worn separately were stocking supporters for the still commonly worn long stockings.
Boys mostly wore knickers and long stockings in 1912. And of course stocking supporters wreneeded to hold them up. We note an ad for "Dr. Parker's Skeleton
Waist". As far as we can tell, it is the earliest that we can find "Dr. Parker's Skeleton Waist" mentioned. It was advertised by Eaton's in Canada in an early catalogue. Rge same add appeared in catalogs during 1912-14.
Boys still commonly wore suits. They primarily wore knickers and long stockings. Eatons offered a variety of boys' summer knicker suits or, as they called them "Bloomer Suits".
Eatons offered five different styles in their Spring and Summer catalo They are all depicted with long stockings, mostly black long stockings. The stockings were also offered by Eatons as schoolwear. And of course various kinds of stocking supporters were needed to hold up the long stockings. The ad for "Dr. Parker's Skeleton Waist" which was repeated in 1914.
Canada loyally entered World War I with Britain in 1914. We are not yet sure just how this affected fashions and clothing. Long stovkings wereworn by most children. We note that the ad for "Dr. Parker's Skeleton Waist" as repeated in 1914.
We note an Eton's ad for the boys' (or youth's) suits which appeared in the 1916. By "youths" Eaton's means boys in their upper teen years--ages 16 to 20. They were all long pants suits. Canadian children mostly wore long stockings throughout the 1910s. We note stocking supporters. There was an advertisement for children's underwaists in the Fall and Winter 1916-17 Eaton's catalogue. Most of these waists are designated as a "Child's Waist" and are therefore gender-neutral, although several of the ads make it clear that the waist in question were "suitable for boy or girl."
Collars were still a major fashion statement and detachable collars still commonly worn. Eaton in 1917 offered rubber detachable collars. It is interesting to note a strategic sesource like subber being ued for collars in the middle of orld War I. Long stockings were widely worn and we notice "General French Supporters". The name is interesting. I don't know the origin but you can see that I speculate about it. Some of our Canadian readers may be helpful here. "General French" may be something like the Americah "Dr. Parker" who also gave his name to a garter waist and who seems to be rather obscure. This style of shoulder garters survived (with a few modifications) into the 1940s. Eaton's offered union suits in the 1917 catalog. We are not sure yet when they were first introduced. We also note undershirts and drawers for boys' wear. Canadian children mostly wore long stockings throughout the 1910s. We note stocking supporters. There was an advertisement for children's underwaists in the Spring and Summer 1917 Eaton's catalogue. Most of these waists are designated as a "Child's Waist" and are therefore gender-neutral, although several of the ads make it clear
that the waist in question were "suitable for boy or girl."
Canadian children commonly wore long stockings througout the 1910s. Thus support garments were also offered. A.T. Eatons offered a light-weight boy's waist in its Spring and Summer 1918 catalog.
Eaton also offered a boys waist out in its 1918-19 Fall-Winter catlog.
One interesting difference between the two waists is the age sizes. The summer waist span a larger number of years (from 6 6o 12 as opposed to 7 to 10 for the winter waist). I have no explanation for the age difference. Notice, however, that the summer waist opens down the front rather than in back--a style boys obviously preferred. We also notice an Eaton catalog page offering a variety of stocking supporters in 1918. Unfortunately it is a small image and we can't read the ad copy. Illustrations show us, however, some of the styles.
A T. Eaton catalog page offers a wide range of outfits for younger boys in 1919. All we have at this time is informatioin on waists. Quite a range of underwear styles were available for children in 1919. The styles were still quite different from modern styles. There were shirts, drawers, and combination or "union" suits with the shirts and pants combined. There were also waists, a support garment worn by women and children. Also sometimes combined
with the waists are worn separately were stocking supporters for the still commonly worn long stockings.
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