Figure 1.--This snapshot shows an American brother and sister in 1967. The boy wears a yellow shortall with white knee socks and shoes. |
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Levi Straus came out with a bib-front version of its jeans for children in the 1920s. HBC is not yet sure when shortalls first appeared. We note some outfits that look similar to shortalls in the 1930s. An example is Mississippi brothers in 1935. We also seem them in France during the 1930s.
One source suggests that shortalls first appeared in the 1940s. I think this is more when tey began to become a popular style. HBC has begun to notice them in the 1950s. The shortalls appearing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, however, were not made of denim. Also the classic shortall did not have bib fronts, burt rather wide shoulder straps and full fronts and backs. I have no information about who first made shortalls or when they first appeared, but it does appear to have been the early 1950s. Shortalls declined in popularity during the late 1980s and are less common in the 1990s. Firms specializing in elegant clothing with classic styles--Baby Ultimate and classic designs--Princess Designs (you have to select "For the Boys"), however, still offer them. They are now
generally made in todler sizes only up to about 4 years. The legs of the outfits in the 1990s are generally cut much longer than those worn in the 1960s. Also the bib front style with only narrow bands over the shoulder crossing at the back are much more common than the classic shortall with fabric covering the entire front and back.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site casual pages:
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[Return to the Main casual page]
[Camp shorts]
[Clam diggers]
[Cord shorts]
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[Jump suits]
[Koveralls]
[Lederhosen]
[Pinafore]
[Smocks]
[Soccer shorts]