Figure 1.--The Au Bon Marché Paris department store offered this reefer jacket which is not being worn with a sailor suit. There is a rank insignia on the sleeve. Note the boy's leggings.
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Figure 1.--The Au Bon Marché Paris department store offered this reefer jacket which is not being worn with a sailor suit. There is a rank insignia on the sleeve. Note the boy's leggings. |
The Paris Deparment store Au Bon Marché in its winter 1911 catalog offered a reefer jacket. We had thought that reefer jackets were mostly worn with sailor suits, but Au Bom Marché shows it being worn with a suit. I'm not sure when the reefer jacket first appeared.
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. 58294. Vareuse marin serge bleue et draperie fantaisie qualite extra, broderie or et soie à la manche, doublée tartan. 3 ans ... Fr 33. 1 fr en plus par àge." This would translate as, "Sailor jacket in blue serge and fantasy drap, extra quality, embroidered gold silk on the sleeve, tartan lined. 3 years ... Fr 33. 1 Fr additional for each year if age."
This reefer jacket shown here was made in sizes beginning at age 3. The illustration shows a much older boy wearing it. The upper size range is not shown.
The reefer jacket pictured here is a a rather formal one with overcoat like lapels. The boy appears to be earing a uit with it as he is wearing a neck tie. It is inclear but he seems to be weariung kneepants. While the boy shown here is clearly not wearing a sailor suit, we belive that it would have been common for a boy in a sailor suit to wear this reefer jacket.
The illustration shows the boy wearing a rather adult hat. Certainly the younger boys would not have worn such a hat. It looks a little out of place with a reffer jacket.
The illustration shows the boy wearing leggings. We are not sure just what age boy would wear leggings, but we think it was probably just the younger boys.
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