Figure 1.--This was one of the suits offered by Gratton's in 1949.

English mail order catalogs offer a very useful time line on changing fashion trends. English mail order catalogs and newspaper ads provide great detail on fashion trends. The available information suggest that most boys wore short pants, even during the winter. The availability and variety of clothing during the 1940s was of course strongly affected by World War II (1939-45) and its aftermath. Of course during the War, clothing was ratione and there was little need to advertise. Britain helped win the War, but the country was virtually bankrupt as a result. We have little information from stores during the 1940s, even the late 40s after the War. A reader has provided us a n item from a Gratton's catalog. for suits.

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

Here is an image from "Grattons" catalogue from 1949. I do not know much about the store at this time. We do not have the ad copy and thuds do not know what sizes they were done it. A British reader tells us, "It shows the sort of best suit my uncle Richard claimed he had to wear in the 30s (though they weren't bought from catalogues) and only had khaki or grey shorts for play." -- Bill. Another English reader writes, "The HBC Gratton catalog on HBC reminded me of the suit I'm wearing in one of my personal experiences pages. Nicely tailored shorts and double breasted jacket, with a hankerchief in the left breast pocket. Apart from the cap, I think I'm identically dressed like the boy in the Gratton illustration." -- Anthony

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossary] [Satellite sites]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits] [Rompers] [Tunics] [Smocks] [Pinafores]

Created: March 6, 2004
Last updated: December 5, 2002