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The Paris Deparment store Au Bon Marché in its winter 1911 catalog offered sailor suits. The sailor suit was one of the most popular outfits for boys. The sizes were not specified, but were probably for school age boys to about 12 years. The outfit included a middy blouse and kneeants and as it is winter is shown as being worn with long stockings.
Au bon Marché is a large Paris department store. We are not sure when it was founded, but we have noted advertisments for
boys clothing from the early 20th century. I'm not sure when the store was founded or any details about it. The hat here was offered in the Winter 1911 catalog.
The ad copy read, "No. 58292 Costume baby velours bleu belle qualité double col poignets et crevate dentile garnis plissés, ceinture cuir blanc, culotte bouffante. 3 ans ... Fr 49. 1 Fr en plus per àge." This would translate as, "Costume baby, blue velvet, beautiful quality double. Pleated collar with matching furnished cuffs and crevat [dentile?], white leather belt, bloomer knickers. 3 years ... Fr 49. 1 Fr additional for each year of age."
HBC notes that the term 'costume baby' can be misunderstood. The term "costume" is easy enough, it simply meand "outfit". 'Baby' is a different matter with a more more complicated meaning A litereral translation of 'baby' is bébé in French. But the English word has a different meaning.
It does not mean "baby" in the English sence of infant. It should be interpreted as "young child" or perhaps 'toddler', although older boys than todlers wore costume baby outfits. It means very juvenil style. A boy as old as 8 years old could parfectly wears a baby outfit, although the age varied over time. As is often the case in fashion, foreign words are adopted to give an outfit a chic or fashionable image. As is often the case, the foreign country often does not understand the original meaning of a foreign term. Another interesting ter is "culotte bouffante". This would translate as something like "puff or balloning short pants". HBC uses the term "bloomer knickers" for this style of pants.
This "costume baby" like the sailor suit is shown as being made beginning with size age 3. The upper age range it not shown, but it would probably have not been made in sizes as old as the upper range sailor suit that is shown with it. The sailor suit also began at sizes age 3 years. It was made for boys up to about 13 years. We suspect that there may have been some overlap. We suspect that the costume baby was done in sized to at least age 6 years.
The "costume baby" outfit looks to be a tunic suit that is worn with bloomer knickers. It has a very large, fancy ruffled collar with pleates. The unpleated part appears to have a design. The detailing of the pleated collar is repeated at the wrist cuffs which also has the printed design. There is even a bit of the collar that hangs down in front, rather an unusual feature. The pleated collar has a sailor-like "V" front. The tunic is worn with a wide white belt.
The fancy suits worn by younger boys in the early 20th century came in many different styles. This fashion was discussed in a French fashion magazine in 1907. The article also showed the style of dresses their mothers would have worn. While not the same year as 1911, the "costume baby" shown here is very similar to the 1907 outfits.
The costume baby shown here is pictured as being worn with a Jean Bart wide-brimmed hat. The Paris Deparment store Au Bon Marche in its winter 1911 catalog offered Lean Bart hats for younger boys. HBC is not sure who Jean Bart was. The hat had a rounded crown and wide brim. Traditionally the brim was worn straight, slightly rounded at the rim. The Au Bon Marche 1911 catalog showed the brim sportily turned up on one side or in another illustration fully turned down. This was style for a younger boy.
The "costume baby" shown here is worn with long stockingsas it is a winter catalog. During the summer this or similar outfits in lighter material more likely would have been worn with three-quarter lrength socks.
The illustration seems to show the boy wearing gloves. They do not seem to ne white. HBC has noted French boys in dressy outfits wearing gloves, especially white gloves.
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