Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified group of American children, we think in the 1920s. One boy wears an Oliver Twist suit and the other boy a sailor suit. Both are button-on outfits. The girl wears a dress and the younger boy rompers. They are pre-school children, probably about 3-5 years old. The snapshot is undated, but looks like the 1920s to us.

We see a lot of boys wearing button-on outfits in the 20th century, especially the first-half of the 20th century. This seems to have been amn especially popular style and method trouser suspension in America. It was not an exclusively American style, but it was certainly most popular in America. A popular style for younger boys like Oliver Twist suits in which large buttons were part of the styling. This was very popular in the 1910s and 20s with the disappearance of Fauntleroy suit. We see more European boys wearing suspenders to hold pants up. One reason button-on outfits were more common in america is that many American boys wore long stockings with formal stocking supporters. These were commonly used to hold up pants. They were developed in the late-19th century and standard items for boys during the early-20 century into the 1930s. Europeans often used more informal arrangmnts like safety pins. There were different kinds of button-on outfits. Some were fairly standard outfits in which the buttons were not part of the styling. And we see sets of shorts and pants done with button-on styling, often with self-belts to cover the buttons in the 1930s and 40s, but not with the large white buttons. Actually they often had self-belts to cover the buttons. This was very common in America. We are less sure with Europe. Button-on clothing declined in popularity after World War II. Several factors were involved. Long stockings and the supporters worn with them declined in popularity. Informal styles became more important. Boxer shorts with elastiized waists appeared that solved the suspsiom problem and were easier to put on for little ones dressing themselves. Button-on outfits declined in popularity, but have not disappeared. After World War II they gradually became a kind of botique style for pre-school boys. They seem especially popular for fancy weddings.

The 1900s

We see a lot of boys wearing button-on outfits in the 20th century, especially the first-half of the 20th century. This seems to have been amn especially popular style and method for trouser suspension in America. It was not an exclusively American style, but it was certainly most popular in America. One reason button-on outfits were more common in America is that many American boys wore long stockings with formal stocking supporters. These were commonly used to hold up pants. They were developed in the late-19th century and standard items for boys during the early-20 century into the 1930s. Europeans often used more informal arrangmnts like safety pins. There were different kinds of button-on outfits. Some were fairly standard outfits in which the buttons were not part of the styling.

The 1910s

We note Oliver Twist button-on styles for younger boys which had large white buttons as a prominent styling device. This made in easier for children learning how =to dresrgenselves This was very popular in the 1910s and 20s with the disappearance of Fauntleroy suit. We see more European boys wearing suspenders to hold pants up or pants with belt in suspensin like supender and h-bar shirts. These wre less common in america. Button-on styles were popular for boys up to about 10 years of age as playwear and school clothes. Sailor styles were popular, but there were many other styles. Some were called Oliver Twist suits. The A. Schuman catalog in 1914 swoun on the previous page offered these button-on outfits for boys from 3-8 years. The price was $6.

The 1920s

The button-on Oliver Twt suits continued to be popular in the 1920s. The sailor suit continued to be popular for button-on outfits for younger boys. One 1923 photograph shows an American boy about 3-4 years old wearing a button-on sailor suit. These button-on sailor suits were usually included in with the Olivr Twist suits in catalog pages. The oufuts here are good examples (figure 1). Many American children continued wearing long stockings and stocking supporters. Although we do not see supender and H-bar shorts to any extent in America, we do see bib-front shorts and longs--these were done as alay style. An exception to the suspender shorts being orimarily a European style was dress shorts, often worn as part of Eton suits. The front of these suspender shorts nuttone nto the pants. , although we do see bib-front shorts and longs.

The 1930s

HBC notes that sets of shirts and pants styled rather like regular garments appeared in the 1930s. Often they had self-belts. This was very common n America. We are less sure with Europe. We see these into the 40s, but not with the large white buttons that we saw wih the Oliver Twist suits. They were made with both long and short pants. Button-on sets were more commonly shorts sets, but HBC has noted longs as well. Knicker were less common. They were often made for play, but also worn to school. They were comonly called wash suits because they were easly laundered. All the major mail order companies had a selections of these outfits. Sears and Wards always had a good selection, but they were offered by other companies as well. Larken offered a military-styled button on suit for boys 5-8 years of age. Many photographs of younger boys at school show them wearing button-on styles. A good example is a nursery school in 1934. Button on-styles were also worn by the younger boys in primary grades. An English reader writes, "I am only aware of buttoning on pants being used with boys just out of babyhood. I have one photo of me like that in the very early 1930s and nothing after that in my experience."

The 1940s

Button-on shorts sets were also common in the 1940s.

The 1950s

We notice far fewer button-on outfits in the 1950s, especially the second half of the decade. Button-on clothing declined in popularity after world War II. Several factors were involved. Long stockings and the supporters worn with them declined sharply in popularity durg the 40s. Informal styles became more important. Boxer shorts with elastiized waists appeared that solved the suspsiom problem and were easier for little ones lerming how to dress themselves. Button-on outfits declined in popularity, but have not disappeared.

The 1960s

After World War II we gradually see button-on outfits bcoming a kind of botique style for pre-school boys. They seem especially popular for fancy weddings.

The 1970s

The 1980s

The 1990s

I n the late 20th century, button-on clothes were mostly dressy outfits for younger boys.

Created: March 3, 2002
Last updated: 10:26 AM 10/19/2015