U.S. Short Pants: Underwear--Minnesota Knitting Works


Figure 1.-- he Minneapolis Kinitting Works after World War I developed new styles of underwar for children. An ad in Parents' Magazine read, "Minneapolis "M" garments are universally accepted as the correct underdressing in juvenile styles. The fashionable French Type (short trunk) garments illustrated above are made for both boys and girls in all popular fabrics."

The Minneapolis Kinitting Works after World War I developed new styles of underwar for children. An ad in Parents' Magazine read, "Minneapolis "M" garments are universally accepted as the correct underdressing in juvenile styles. The fashionable French Type (short trunk) garments illustrated above are made for both boys and girls in all popular fabrics." The advertisement appeared in Parents Magazine during September, 1930, p. 45. This Minneapolis Knitting Works advertisement, timed obviously for mothers who were shopping for their school children at the beginning of the school year, advertises principally waists suits. Note that at the left we have two styles of waist suits for boys, one with trunk-length or very brief legs (also sleeveless) and the other with somewhat longer short legs and short sleeves. The girls' styles, shown at the right, are different from the boys' style, although, as with the boys's styles, one model is sleeveless and the other has short sleeves. The style in the center features a decorative bow at the neck and buttons only part of the way down the front, whereas the boys' styles button all the way down. The two boys' suits have reinforcing straps over the shoulder that end in four waist buttons for attaching short pants--two in front and two at the sides. The straps that end at the two sides also have metal garter tubes for pinning on hose supporters. The girl in the center has only two reinforcing straps on her suit with only two buttons at the sides for attaching a skirt. But she also has metal garter tubes for supporters. Note that all the waist suits shown are very briefly cut, an indication that the skirts and short pants that had come into fashion were often much shorter than had been true in the past. The brevity of the waist suits along with the added length of long stockings then being manufactured testifies to the stylishly briefer short pants and skirts of the period. The brief style is referred to in the ad as the "fashionable French type in modern juvenile styles"--this underwear being influenced obviously by styles then fashionable in France. The advertisement also illustrates sleepwear--an older girl's "flannelette Pajamas," a younger boy's "Bi-Knit Sleepers" ( a Dr. Denton style sleeping suit with feet), and a baby's "Foldover Shirt" fastened at the neck with a bow and buttoned at the side. All the sleeping suits seem to be made of flannelette. Central heating was not universal in the early 1930s, so children had to dress more warmly, especially in bed.







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Created: December 6, 2003
Last updated: December 8, 2003