Button Play Suit: Suit 1


Figure 1.--This button play suit was one of the dressier styles. It appeared in the early 1920s based on a French style. Notice all the detailed stiching in this view.

HBC is not sure at this time precisely what to call these suits. HBC believes that this suit probably dates from the 1920s. It was made in France for a U.S. retailer. It came in pink as the current color conventions had not yet become so established. The suit is a two-piece linnen suit with matching blouse and button-on knee-length short pants. Like Buster Brown suits and rompers, they were one of the first style of little boys' clothes to appear in bright colors. One of the destinguising characteristics were large buttons that the children could handle.

Chronologies

HBC believes that this suit probably dates from the 1920s. While no precise date is available on this suit, it does look rather like 1920 style suits. The rather long shorts were still common in the early 1920s, even for younger boys.

Connvention

Some play suits in the 1920s were made for play. Other nicer suits like this one with such elaborate detailing were made to be worn for more formal occasions or perhaps for a special visit or party. Presumably mother would now allow junior to wear this for very day play as he would soon soil it.


Figure 2.--This button play suit was one of the dressier styles. It appeared in the early 1920s based on a French style. Notice the large buttons in this back view. While large, he would still require mother's help to dress.

Style

These button play suits came in a wide variety of styles. One of the destinguising characteristics were large buttons, like the button-on shorts buttons, that the children could handle. One interesting inovation was the appearance of short-sleeved blouses to go with the suits. The short sleeves and light linnennmaterial suggest it was for summer or warm weather wear.

Collar

The contrasting white collar was a common device for many of these play suits. This collar has pointed tips rather like an Eton collar. Many play suits at the tome came with Eton styled collars. The rounded Peter Pab style was also worn in the 1920s, but the Eton style appears to have been more popular in the early 1920s. Note the delicate flower stiching on the collar matching that on the front button piece. While the blouse buttons at the collar, it is a very loose collar and does not fit snugly.



Figure 3.--The buttons were small sizes, but had fancy pink arrow stiching, often called chicken foot sticthing, to accent the white front piece.

Blouse

This two piece suit has a pink linnen blouse to match the shorts. The sleeves were shortened, a novel style at the time as most blouses and shirts were common made in long sleece styles until after World War I (1914-18). The short sleeves were cutt off at the elbow with white trim matching the collar and button front. The blouse was worn buttoned at the collarm showing that children's clothing was still influenmced bu the more formal pre-World War I styles.

Front piece

The blouse had a contrasting white front piece for the buttons which had flower emroidery matching that of the collar. The buttons were small sizes, but had fancy pink arrow or chicken-foot stiching to accent the white front piece.


Figure 4.--Note the delicate flower stiching at the bottom of the front button pannel.

Shorts

The matching pink shorts have two front and two back buttons holes to secure the buttons on the blouse. The buttons are quite large, but a younger boy might have some difficulty handling the buttons at the back without mothers help. The shorts are rather long, cut at knee length. This suggests it was an early 1920s suit as shorts for yonger boys became shorter by the mid-1920s.

Colors

Button play suits also came in a wide variety of colors. They were one of the first style of little boys' clothes to appear in bright colors. Typical colors include blue, greem red, and yellow. This suit was pink. The moderrn conventions of blue for boys and pink for girls had not yet been established. As the contemporary photographs of these suits are black and white, these actual suits help to show the colors and shades of the suits worn.

Figure 5.--Note the delicate flower stiching on the collar matching that on the front button piece.

Other clothes

A play suit like this probably would have been worn with short white socks or perhaps early in the spring with long white stockings. They might have been accompanied with colored stap shoes or sandals. Strap shoes were still commonly worn by younger children for play in America, at least by children in affluent families--showing the European influence. They were generally not worn by boys in less affluent families and tended to not be very popular with boys once they reached school age.

Age

This suit was made in size 6. I do not know if these suits were made in larger sizes.

Manufacturer

This suit was made in France for L. Bambergers & Comp. of New Jersey. It shows that the French influence was still significant, at least for little boys clothes at smart shops.


Figure 6.--This suit was made in France for L. Bambergers & Comp. of New Jersey. It shows that the French influence was still significant, at least for little boys clothes at smart shops.

Workmanship

Every detail of this suit is exquisitly done. There is open work in the embroiderd flowers. The buttons are sewn on in a chicken foot stitching and all the seems are french. The shirt has had an extra three inch extention added on (in pink linen ) . I would guess that it helped to keep it tucked in.

Gender

This suit was a boy's play suit.

Material

This suit was made in linnen.






Christopher Wagner
histclo@lycosmail.com

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Created: April 3, 2000
Last updated: April 3, 2000