Figure 1.--This American boy in the 1920s wears a comfortable romper suit, a much less formal outfit than he might have worn a decade or two earlier. Notice the knee-length pants style.

The waist treatment varied in rompers. We notice wide variation in the waist treatment in various romper suits. Some rompers were done without defined waists, but these were less common than those with defined waists. The romper waist waslocated where the pants began and were done at different heights. Some were done at the boy's actual waistline. Others were done much higher. There were also stylistic variatiions in the waist treatment. We notice rompers with waists done rather like smocks or dresses with back bows. Others had a defined waistline, but wihout the back bows. We have also seen rompers with self belts.

Construction

The traditional romper was a one piece suit with the blouse joined to the pants part. Some rompers, such as the dressy blue romper suit pictured below were separate two pice outfits.

Collar

A wide variety of collars were worn with rompers. Some suits at the turn of the Century had Eton collars. Peter Pan collars became especially popular in the 1910s. Notice the boy here with a rounded Peter Pan collar (figure 1). Dressy rompers might have lace trim or ruffled collars. Many rompers had open square or rounded collars. Some had regular shirt-like collars. The treatment of the collar variedsomewhat. They might be the same color as the romper suit or a contrasting color--especially white. We note that some dressy rompers were done with ruffled collar trim.

Bows

Some dress rompers, especially in the 1890s and 1900s were worn with floppy bows, but they were less common after World War I (1914-18.)

Trim

Play rompers had minimal trim, but dressy collars with lace or ruffled collars might have matching trim at the wrist or arms for hore sleaved rompers. Addutional trim might be found down the front of the blouse part of the suit. Some dressy rompers had embroidered work.

Sleeves

Romper sleeves were mostly long at the turn of the Century. Short sleeve romper suits were more popular in the 1920s.

Closings

The closings on almost all romper suits were buttons. There were different styles ranging from back, to side to front buttoning suits. The buttons usually ran to the waist. The two piece suits were mostly front buttoning.

Waist Treatment

The waist treatment varied in rompers. We notice wide variation in the waist treatment in various romper suits. Some rompers were done without defined waists, but these were less common than those with defined waists. The romper waist waslocated where the pants began and were done at different heights. Some were done at the boy's actual waistline. Others were done much higher. There were also stylistic variatiions in the waist treatment. We notice rompers wityh waists done rather like smocks or dresses wityh back bows. Others had a defined waistline, but wihout the back bows. We have also seen rompers with self belts.

Pants

The pants part of the romper suit blouce out. The degree of the bloucing affect varied from suit t suit. One of the key characteristics of a romper suit was the elastic leg closings.

Length

All early romper suits had pants lengths above the knee. The original length was very long. Gradually the length shortened. The length shortened in the 1920s to lengths similar to short pants. By the 1940s they were worn with very little inseam.