Figure 1.--Here we see a suburban Virginia mother and her little boy wearings a blue button-on set in 1962. This was a not a play suit, but a dressy outfit. The boy looks to be about 4 years old. They are in a brand new basic Volkswagen. You can tell by the home and the VW that they are a middle-class family. Thev VW may be a second car.

Button-on styling continued to be used in the 20th century. In many ways they were more apparent as there was not effort to hide the buttons being used to hold up the pants in 20th century. The buttons were more of a stylistic element. Button-on styling was very popular in the United States during the early-20th century. And they were no longer hidden as was common in the 19th century. Here we see a boy wearing a button-on patterned blouse and knee pants we think in the 1900s (figure 1). The white buttons are a little hard to see because the boys is wearing white pants. A good example a decade later is the Nethery boys in 1915. The boys wear a dressy button-on outfit. Button-on styling was especially popular during the inter-War era in the 1920s-40s. We note large numbers of American boys wearing button-on outfits. We see both play and school wear outfits. Often this involved short sets, coordinated shirts and short pants sold together. A good example is the little boy outfits offered in the Wards' winter 1927-28 catalog. There were also long pants sets. It was common to sell the garments as sets as the buttons and buttons holes had to be coordinated. We note a Kindergarten class in 1935-36 in which most of the boys wear button-on sets. A good example of a play suit was a sailor outfit worn by Jackie Hardy about 1940. After World War II (1939-45) we button0 styling being used less. We think a major factor here was pants with elastic waists like boxer short pants. This made it far easier for younger children, especially boys to dress themselves. While button-on styling never disappeared, it became much less common in the second half of the century. The ages of the boys wearing button-on outfits gradually fell. Button-on styling became more of dressy outfits for boys. Often boutique outfits for special occasions. The boy here is a good example (figure 1). We see a boy in a blue button-on set in 1962 (figure 1). He looks to be about 4 years old.

The 1900s

Button-on styling was very popular in the United States during the early-20th century. And they were no longer hidden as was common in the 19th century. The buttons used to hold up pants were often hidden in the 19th century. We see a boy on the previous page wearing a button-on patterned blouse and knee pants we think in the 1900s. The white buttons are a little hard to see because the boys is wearing white pants.

The 1910s

A good example a decade later is the Nethery boys in 1915. The boys wear a dressy button-on outfit.

The 1920s

Button-on styling was especially popular during the inter-War era in the 1920s-40s. We note large numbers of American boys wearing button-on outfits. We see both play and school wear outfits. Often this involved short sets, shirts and short pants sold together. A good example is the little boy outfits offered in the Wards' winter 1927-28 catalog. There were also long pants sets. It became common to sell the garments as sets as the buttons and button holes had to be coordinated. Notice that these were not fancy dress up shierts and blouses but school and every day wear.

The 1930s

Button-on clothing was very common in the 1930s. Shirts were often done as shirt waists with buttons at the waist of the shirts. Shorts sets were very popular. We note many offering in the Sears 1930 Spring and Summer catalog. A complication is the self belts commonly pictured. They were often intended to hide the buttons than to hold up the pants. A McCalls pattern shows how the self belts covered up the buttons. We see many examples in the photographic record for school age children. Another complication here was suspenders. They were very common and often attached to the pants with buttons on thewaist band of the pants. We note a Kindergarten class in 1935-36 in which most of the boys wear button-on sets.

The 1940s

Button-on outfits continued to be popular in the 1940s. A good example of a play suit was a sailor outfit worn by Jackie Hardy about 1940. After World War II (1939-45) we see button-on styling being used less. We think a major factor here here was pants done with elastic waists like boxer short pants. This made it far easier for younger children, especially boys to dress themselves.

The 1950s

While button-on stlying never disappeared, it became much less common in the second half of the century. The ages of the boys wearing button-on outfits gradually fell.

The 1960s

Button-on styling became more of dressy outfits for boys. Often boutique outfits fir special occasions. The boy here is a good example (figure 1). We see a boy in a blue button-on set in 1962 (figure 1). He looks to be about 4 years old.

Created: 11:56 AM 12/21/2017
Spell checjked: 11:53 PM 4/18/2023 Last updated: 11:54 PM 4/18/2023