Button-on Clothing: Age


Figure 1.--Here we notice a younger boy about 2 years of age wearing a button-on blouse and shorts. Noyice the scalloped waist. We are not sure when this portraitvwas taken, but would guess about 1930. A reader writes, "The short pants are of a style I haven't seen before. The turned down, striped socks worn with double-strap whhite sandals are of interest. I often note these sandals worn with striped socks. Perhaps the socks complement the straps of the sandals."

Button on-styling has always been primarily for younger children. Of course there was always an uper range for button-on styling as the style was primarily for younger boys before they developed a pronounced waist. There were other approached to the trouser suspension problem, but button-on styling was secifically for younger boys. Belts and suspendrs were used by adults as well. Age conventions have varied over time. We are not yey sure above age conventions in the 19th century. We note some button-on shirt waists being done for boys up to about 12 years of age. We note a continuing wide age range in the 1920s through the ealy 40s when button-styles were particularly popular. We notice button on clothing offered for ages from todlers to about 10 years of age. After the early 40s, the popularity of button on clothing declined. We find it being offered mostly for pre-school boys and primarily a range of dressy formal outfits.








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Created: 1:19 PM 8/16/2005
Last updated: 1:19 PM 8/16/2005