Figure 1.-- |
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American mail order catalogs offer a very useful time line on changing fashion trends. American mail order catalogs in 1938 still featured many of the styles worn in the 1920s and earlier in the 1930s. Knickers were still worn, but declining in popularity. Long pants were becoming increasingly common. Younger boys still wore short pants, especially in the summer. We have some limited information on American catalog offerings in 1938. Sears in 1938 offerd boys Mackinaw jackets in its 1938-39 Winter catalog. This was a popular style in both the 1930s and 40s. Sears also offered a wide range of waist suits for boys and girls in the Handwear store brand.
The only catalog listing we have at this time is mackinaw jackets.
Sears in 1938 offerd boys Mackinaw jackets in its 1938-39 Winter catalog. This was a popular style in both the 1930s and 40s. This means that they would have been bought for going back to school
suits and obvously Winter wear. These mackinaws are for the very coldest weather. We suspect they sold especially well in northern states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Maine. The illustrations shpw boys wearing various style of cold wear caps worn bu boys in 1938. Flat caps seem popular, but we also note stocking caps.
We note a range of hosiery in 1938, including ankle socks and kneesocks. Ling stockings were still worn, but not nearly as common as they once had bin. Waists and sticking supporters were still availavle to hild up long stockings. We note waidst suits offered by Sears.
Sears offered a wide range of waist suits for boys and girls in the Handwear store brand. The Sears ad copy read, "Keep 'Em Happy! Let 'Em ... play outdoors, romp indoors, stretch, jump, bend,
twist. Just Be Sure They're in Sears Long Wearing Waistsuits!
Handywear--Our Own Trade Mark."
This page covers three different categories of support garments in 1938--pin-on garters, underwaists, and garter waists. That there are several grades offered
in all three categories seems significant to me. Notice also that boy
and girl models are equally represented. 1938 was a year in U.S.
culture when support garments for long stockings began to be very
prominently advertised in both Sears and Wards catalogs. Ads for long
stockings were also featured saliently during the same years. This
prominence lasted until about 1943-44 and then very quickly died away
after the war came to an end.
We note long underwear offered by Sears. Long underwear was still widely worn durung the Winter, especially in northern states.
Sears had long underwear in its Fall-Winter (1938-39 catalog Sears Fall and Winter catalog for 1938-39, p. 282. There were several different styles. We note different styles of heavy-weight cotton union suits for boys. Sears stresses that ribbed knits were especially warm. The Sears presentation of these suits made a strong appeal to athletics. The advertisement obviously seeks to make the point that these union suits are worn by boys who play sports and are very masculine in their cultural orientation.
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