Figure 1.--THis Au Bon Marché catalog page in 1935 shows a "nageur". It was swim suit garment worn by both boys and girls ages 2 - 14 years. Notice that it was quite expensive : 9 francs size 2 years. Many mothers would have knitted this garment at home.

HBC does not have much informatuin on French beach costumes for children, but has becun to collect some information. We have very limited information on the 19th century, but we behin to see some photographic images by the late-19th century. One 1879 image shows children wearing them in 1879. I'm not sure though how common they were. The earliest ones had knicker-length pants for men and long dresses for women. Shorter costumes were acceptable for young children. Much more information is available on the 20th century. We note an important development in the 20th century. Not only do we see bathing suits for swiming, but we begin to see sunsuit-type outfits for younger children playing on the beach rather than swimming. And in the 20th century we begin to see more gender differentiation in children swimwear. A French reader writes, "Before the mid-1930s, French children, both boys and girls, wore the same style of swimwear. It was called a "nageur". These swimsuits were one-piece knitted suits, commonly done in wool. After the mid-30s, one sees suits without top for boys but still knitted wool garments. They were often done with pompons. This did not change until after World War II."

Chronology

HBC does not have much informatuin on French beach costumes for children, but has becun to collect some information. We have very limited information on the 19th century, but we behin to see some photographic images by the late-19th century. By this time not only is photography providing us more images, but France's fine railway system has made it possible for French people where ever vthey blibed to rapidly abd relatively in expesively reach seaside resorts. Peviously this had been a diversion on the wealthty could enjoy. An France of course had been world famous beach resorts on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. One 1879 image shows children wearing them in 1879. I'm not sure though how common they were. The earliest ones had knicker-length pants for men and long dresses for women. Shorter costumes were acceptable for young children. Much more information is available on the 20th century. We note an important development in the 20th century. Not only do we see bathing suits for swiming, but we begin to see sunsuit-type outfits for younger children playing on the beach rather than swimming. And in the 20th century we begin to see more gender differentiation in children swimwear. A French reader writes, "Before the mid-1930s, French children, both boys and girls, wore the same style of swimwear. It was called a "nageur". These swimsuits were one-piece knitted suits, commonly done in wool. After the mid-30s, one sees suits without top for boys but still knitted wool garments. They were often done with pompons. This did not change until after World War II."

Types

There were two basic types of beachwear. We notice both swimsuits as well as bathing costumes for the younger children just paddling or plsying in the sand. Bathing costumes were fairly standard in the 19th century, at least the late-19th centrury for which we have some information. They were essentially all swimsuits, albeit bulky swimsuits. Younger children paddling and playing in the snd might wear these swimsuits or their regular clothes, perhaps taking off their shoes and sicks. we begin to see sunsuit-type outfits for younger children playing on the beach rather than swimming. And in the 20th century we begin to see more gender differentiation in children swimwear. We see a variety of sunsuit type poutfits, including rompers (barboteuses). The swuimsuits themselves become increasingly brief as the 20th century progresses, especially after World War I in the 1920s.

Age

Gender

And in the 20th century we begin to see more gender differentiation in children swimwear. A French reader writes, "Before the mid-1930s, French children, both boys and girls, wore the same style of swimwear. It was called a "nageur". These swimsuits were one-piece knitted suits, commonly done in wool. After the mid-30s, one sees suits without top for boys but still knitted wool garments. They were often done with pompons. This did not change until after World War II."

Fabric

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits] [Rompers] [Tunics] [Smocks] [Pinafores]

Created: 4:26 AM 1/20/2007
Last updated: 11:32 PM 6/2/2011