Figure 1.--Best & Co offered a wide range of summer lawn dresses for younger children. Most were for girls, but the liiustrations and ad copy suggested that some were suitable for boys as well. This is one of the last advertisements we have found offering boy dresses. |
We thought that this dress might be a boy dress, but the adcopy does not offer much clue. We do note that the trim could be had in blue or pink. Also the box pleats seem to have been seen as suitavle for boys. The ad copy read, "A NEW ADAPTATIOMN of box pleats.The yoke front is simply achieved by shirrings feaherstiched with pink or blue. Beading and lace. Deep hem. 1 to 3 years ... $2.85.
A reader tells us that he does not see anything more girlish about this dress than some of those described as boyish. There are no clues in the ad copy about gender appropriateness.
This is one of the other boy dresses. Here Best clearly states that the dress is a dress that boys and girls could wear. The model shown, however, is clearly a girl because she is ppictured wearing a hair bow, one of only two of the models on the page. This seem curious to how off a boy dress, perhaps Best wanted to make sure it was clear that a girl could wear it as well. The ad copy read, "ANOTHER DRESS SUITABLE FOR A BOY as well as a girl is this box-pleatd and tucked style of fine lawn. High-belted waist and conventional arangements of embroidered sprays. 1 to 3 years ... $5.00"
Some of the dress are clearly just for girls. The ad copy read, "GRACEFUL AS A FAIRY is this Empire frock with cording at waste and neck, its lace and fly away sash set on at the waste line just back of the embroidered sides. 1 to 3 years ... $5.25
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main Best 1918 younger child hand-made summer dress page]
[Return to the Main American mail order 1918 page]
[Return to the Main American mail order 1910s catalogs]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Cloth and textiles]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Flat caps]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Knickers]
[Sailor suits]
[Long stockings]
[Underwear]