Figure 1.--Best & Co offered a wide range of wash suits for younger boys up to 4 years pf age. We have seen many of these styles made for boys up to age 8 years, but these best suits were mostly for pre-school boys 2-4 years of age.
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Figure 1.--Best & Co offered a wide range of wash suits for younger boys up to 4 years pf age. We have seen many of these styles made for boys up to age 8 years, but these best suits were mostly for pre-school boys 2-4 years of age. |
The Best wash suits were done in a wide range of styles. Sailor styling was clearly very popular. There are several different suits done with sailor styling. These include middy blouses which were not button-on outfits, although some are done in the button-on style. There are also several suits done with button-on styling. Here there was a variety of styles. Detailing included both buttons and belts. Collars were both rounded and pointed. We also notice open square neck openings. Some were detailed with ruffles. String tie tassels were also popular. Some of the outfits were done with smocking work. There was one outfit done as a smock, but described as a French peasant style. We have the ad copy from the page, although the style of the outfits is usually not named. This is one reason we have trouble identifying the suits, they were not identified in many of the catalogs.
One interesting aspect of this page is that some of the outfits look somewhat like more modern shortalls.
The outfit here looks somewhat like modern shortalls. Notice the ruffles on a Peter Pan collar. Als there appear to be a string tie with tassels. The pants have buttons at the leg hem done rather like kneepants. The Best ad copy read, "THE FRILLED WHITE DIMITRY: middy blouse with maize cotton trousers is a charming new combination to which a bit of embroidered front in green adds effective color. 2 to 4 years $4.95."
The top here is done rather like a tunic. The collar looks to be done like a sports collar. The pants probably button on to an unserwaist. They have buttons at the leg hem done rather like kneepants. The Best ad copy read, "SIMPLE VERY EASILY TUBBED. This suit with lawn blouse and pique collar is sure to be your favorite. 2 to 4 years. $2.75. (A) SIMILAR MODEL in tan-and-white pin check chambray, with white collar and piping. 2 to 4 years $2.50."
This suit was done with a mix of sailor and Norfolk styling. The pants had buttons at the leg hem like kneepants. The Best ad copy read, "THIS DURABLE SUIT of blue-and-white striped gingham with navy blue collar and cuffs, black tie, is priced 2 to 5 years $2.50. (A) SIMILAR MODEL in white linen-finished cotton, with cadet blue collar and cuffs. 2 to 5 years $2.50."
This blouse of this suit had an open square collar and was done with smocking. It probably buttoned buttoned on to the pants, but this can not be confirmed because of the self belt. The pants had buttons at the leg hem like kneepants. The Best ad copy read, "CHARMING for dainty little boy is this suit with white waist smocked and feather stitched in blue, and blue poplin trousers. 2 to 4 years. $4.50."
This suit was a tunic suit with an ornamental belt. There was a string tie with tassels. The detailing of the tunic was repeated on the kneepants with a white band. There were ornamental buttons at the leg hem. The Best ad copy read, " A STYLE FOR LITTLE BOYS –a jaunty coat model in light blue cotton with white collar, cuffs and piping. Blue collar embroidery. 2 to 5 years $3.25."
This suit was not named, but we have seen described as an Oliver Twist suit in other catalogs. Note the prominent buttons. There was a string tie with tassels. There were also ornamental buttons at the leg hem. The Best ad copy read, "THIS STYLE GOOD for little boys from 2 to 4 has white linen finished cotton blouse with light blue collar and trousers …$2.95."
Here we have another button-on suit again employing the string tie with tassels. The collar is colored and coordinated with the pants. The panys have the ornamental buttons at the leg hem. The Best ad copy read, "UNRESTRICTED COMFORTABLE PLAY little folks can have in a suit like this. Combining smartness and comfort is the “Best” aim. A white linen-finished cotton blouse with tan-and-white pin check trousers. 2 to 5 years. $3/45."
This is another tunic suit with a wide ornamental belt. There are contrasting pockets in white. This suit uses the string tie with tassels. Note the use of pink in a boys' garment showing that pink was seen as appropriate for boys at the time, at least for younger boys. The pink is used, however, in pin stripes. We do not see any fully pink garments. The Best ad copy read, "PINK-AND-WHITE STRIPED MADRAS with white collar, cuffs, belt and pocket trimming. 2 to 4 years $2.95. (A) Blue-and-white 2 to 4 years $2.95."
This is one of the several sailor suits offered by Best. The top here is a kind of tunic or blouse rather than the button-on style of many of the other outfits. String lacing front. The Best ad copy read, "A NEW SUIT over a standard model which the kiddies themselves as well as the grownups like. White repp. Blue cotton collar, cuffs and banding; black lacing. 2 to 4 years $5.45."
This outfit is styled like a smock, but the belt gives it a tunic look. Notoce the socking on both sides. It has a white Peter Pan collar and matching write cuffs. There is a string tie with tassels. The pants are cuffed and have ornamental leg hem buttons, an unusual combination. cuff The Best ad copy read, "A GAY LITTLE SUIT of white poplin fresh as May morning, with smocking of green 2 to 4 years $3.45. (A) As above light blue smocking $3.45."
This is another button-on suit. The suit with its prominent buttons looks like an Oliver Twist suit although Best does not use that term. It has ornamental buttons at the leg hem. The Best ad copy read, "A NEW MODEL which may be had in blue-and-white pin check chambray with white collar. 2 to 5 years $2.75. (A) SIMILAR SUIT blue-and-white pin check cotton crash with white sport collar. 2 to 5 years $2.95."
This garment is clkearly a smock. Ameroican boys did not commonly wear smocks, perhaps explaining why Best did not use the term. The smocked is detailed with smocking and a patch on pocket. There is a string tie with tassels, anThe smock here is white, but detailed in pink. Despite the fact that American boys did not commonly wear smocks, this outdfit is done in the same sizes as the others. This shows that the modern color conventions were not yet fully estanlished. The Best ad copy read, "IN THE FRENCH PEASANT STYLE this suit of white poplin with pink collar, cuffs and pocket: pink-and-black smocking and embroidery. 2 to 4 years $3.75."
Here Best adverises a suit calling it "baby-like". This is not how boy's clothes were normally marketed in America. It looks to be a button-on outfit, but also with shoulder straps like shortalls. The collar is edged with ruffles which is apparently what Best is referring to as "baby-like". The pants had the ornamental buttons at the leg hem. There is also a string tie with tassels. Even though this outfit is descriobed as baby-like, the sizing is the same as for most of the othjer suits. The Best ad copy read, "MOTHERS ARE SURE to choose this little suit just because it is so pretty and baby-like. White poplin blouse blue cotton trousers with embroidered front 2 to 4 years $3.95. (A) As above green cotton trousers. $3.95."
Here we have a sailor suit outfit done with some Norfolk styling. The suit is sone as a tunic outfit rather than button-on styling. The kneepants have ornamental buttons at the leg hem. It is shown with a plain white dickey with a blue neck hem. There is a rank ensignia on the sleeve. Notice the elephant pull toy. This was done to size 5 years in a slightly larger size than the other Best outfits on this page. The Best ad copy read, "WHITE LIGHT-WEIGHT REPP. Blue cotton sailor collar and belt. Red Tie. 2 to 5 years $3.25."
This sailor suit outfit is done with button-on styling. It was done in sizes up to 6 years of age, a larger size than the other suits on this page. Often suits with large buttons like this are called Oliver Twist suits, even those done with sailor styling. The kneepants here do not have the ornamental buttons at the leg hem. The Best ad copy read, "BLUE COTTON BLOUSE AND TROUSERS Red eagle ebroidery on sleeve 2 to 6 years $3.45."
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