Figure 1.--Sears in 1902 offered many sailor suits for boys 3-10 years of age. The styling varies somewhat and their are many different colors, surprisingly including pink. The suits were made in several different materials.
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Figure 1.--Sears in 1902 offered many sailor suits for boys 3-10 years of age. The styling varies somewhat and their are many different colors, surprisingly including pink. The suits were made in several different materials. |
Sears in 1902 offered a wide range of washable sailor suits for boys from 3 to 10 years of age. They were made in many styles and colos as well as a variety of materials. They were all kneepants suits. Short pants had not yet become an important style. They were all shown as being worn with long stockings.
The Sears page is entiled "Boys' wash suits". The text reads "The extrordinary value we offer in Boys' Wash Suits can only be fully appreciated by those who order from this department. A trial order will surely convince you that we are able to furnish new, fresh up to date, stylish and well made wash suits at much lower prices than similar value can be had from any other house. Note.--Boys' wash suits can be had only in the sizes as mentioned after each desceiption. Always state age of voy and if large or small of age.
Sears offerd the following sailor suits:
This washable suit was made of "crash" which was a plain-weave fabric of rough, irregular, sometimes even lumpy finish. This was one of the least expensive sailor suits available.
This crash suit was a better quality than the basic crash suit above (40R130) and had sateen trim. The sateen trim in particular made this a more expensive sailor suit.
This sailor suit was made from a heavier weight of percale, explaining the higher price than the basic suit (40R132).
This sailor suit was made in chambray, a fine cloth, usually of cotton but alkso of silk or linnen. In this case it was surely cotton. Surprising this suit was made in pink, showing that modern color conventions had not yet been established.
This suit was a tripped suit and shows that boys at the turn of the century wore sailor suits in many more colors than blue and white.
This suit was one of several striped sailor suits offered by Sears. It was a percale suit trimmed sateen and duck.
This suit appears to be a white suit with fancy red trim and red saten collar. Even the pocket has red trim.
This was one of Sears better suits made out of sateen with a pencil stripe effect. The pants had white pearl buttons at the waist and knees.
This was the most expensive of the Sears summer wash suits with extensive trim.
Sears on the same page with its sailor suits offered thre type of knee pants. The knee pants were for boys up to 15 yeats of age while he silor suits er only for bys up 10 years.
These kneepants were made from a good heavy tan wash percale. They were for boys fom 4 to 10 years.
These kneepants were made from a heavy strong fabric. Made or boys 4 to 12 years.
These kneepants were made from a good, strong heavy linen crash. Made or boys 6 to 15 years.
It is interesting to note that all of the Sears sailor suits on this page had knee pants. There were no shot pants, knickers, or long pants. The middy tops hang over the trouser tops rather than buttoning to them. Each of the Sears middy blouses appear to be front buttoning, rather than pull over, although the illustrations are not clear and this is not mentioned in the ad copy. Since, the trousers at this time often buttoned to under
garments having a blouse styled sailor top makes sense since it covers the buttoning. Also many of the blouse style shirts had drawstrings at the bottom hem to adjust to the boy's size. It is also interesting to note that despite being summer suits, all of the illustrations show the boys wearing long stockings--hardly warm weather wear.
A HBCreader reports, "have noticed that at the latest by 1915 catalogues distinguished between winter and summer clothes maybe Sears and other catalogue stores were distinguishing between summer and winter by 1902
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