Figure 1.--This Belgian boy looks to be about 2 years old. He wears a pair of knit suspender rompers with a matching top. The photograph is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1930s.

The ages at which Belgian boys wore rompers followed the same basic pattern as in France. Although we do not know if there were differents among thhe more Dutch orinted Flemnish and the French-oriented Waloons with age concentions for rompers. . Rompers were commonly worn by boys from about 2-6 years old, primarily pre-school boys. Our assessment is preliminary at this time, primarily becuse we have rlatively few Belgian photographic images. Unlike France we do not have many catalog or mail order information for Belgium. We are working almost eclisively with photographic material. We have found one fashion magazine reference. The Belgian woman's magazine Vrouw en Huis in 1952 showed romper suits for 2-3 year olds and halter romper bottoms for 3-4 year olds. The styles depicted were for beachwear. Hopefully we cn construct a more definitive age asessment at our Belgian section expands. We have seen a few boys wearing rompers in first grade at 6 years of age. Some boys might continue to wear rompers after school for a year or so or for dress occasions, but we do not believe that boys commonly wore rompers after age 7. This began to change after the the 1950s when rompers became more commonly worn by even younger boys. A French reader confirms this assessment. He reports, "In Belgium, as in France, rompers were worn by boys 1 tbrough 6 years of age--usually until they began primary school. Sometimes on ceratin occassions boys might wear them until 7 years of age. They were, however, especially popular for 1-4 years olds." The age conventions, as in France, changed over time. The age that boys wore rompers began to change after the early 1950s when rompers became more commonly worn by even younger boys. By the 1980s, they had become a garment for infants.

French Trends

The ages at which Belgian boys wore rompers appear to have followed the same basic pattern as in France. France is a much larger country with very importnt fashion industry. The age at which boys have worn rompers have varied over time. A French reader tells us that rompers were typical for boys 6 months to 6 years from the mid 1930s through the mid 1950s. Catalogs in the late 1950s were showing rompers for boys up to 4 years. Another French reader writes, "About the acceptable romper age, rompers durings the 1940s and 50s were very popular boy through age 4 years. While they were less common for older boys, we note that boys age 5-6 years often hada dressy romper suit for parties or special occassions. Generaly in the 1940-50s it was rather the petit garçon modèle of 6 and even 7 years wich were dressed in rompers. During the 1960s conventions changed somewhat. They were commonly worn by little boys no more 3 years. They were basically a pre-school garment which is why they were not commonly worn after age 6 years. A HBC reader indicates that his brother wore romers to age 5 and he wore them to age 6 years. Occasionallty boys as old as about 7 might also have worn them for formal dress occasions. One sewing garment showed a 5-6 years old boying playing at home in a rimper bottom outfit that had an elastic waist band. After the 1960s, however, they became increasingly less common and were mostly worn by infants and toddlers.

Mational Groups

We believe that age conventions for boys' rompers in Belgium were largely the same as in France. Although we do not know if there were differents among thhe more Dutch orinted Flemnish and the French-oriented Waloons with age concentions for rompers.

Age Year Trends

Rompers were commonly worn by Belgian boys from about 2-6 years old, primarily pre-school boys. Our assessment is preliminary at this time, primarily becuse we have rlatively few Belgian photographic images. Unlike France we do not have many catalog or mail order information for Belgium. We are working almost eclisively with photographic material. We have found one fashion magazine reference. The Belgian woman's magazine Vrouw en Huis in 1952 showed romper suits for 2-3 year olds and halter romper bottoms for 3-4 year olds. The styles depicted were for beachwear. Hopefully we cn construct a more definitive age asessment at our Belgian section expands. We have seen a few boys wearing rompers in first grade at 6 years of age. Some boys might continue to wear rompers after school for a year or so or for dress occasions, but we do not believe that boys commonly wore rompers after age 7. This began to change after the the 1950s when rompers became more commonly worn by even younger boys. A French reader confirms this assessment. He reports, "In Belgium, as in France, rompers were worn by boys 1 tbrough 6 years of age--usually until they began primary school. Sometimes on ceratin occassions boys might wear them until 7 years of age. They were, however, especially popular for 1-4 years olds."

Chronological Trends

Belgin age conventions for romers , as in France, changed over time. The age that boys wore rompers began to change after the early 1950s when rompers became more commonly worn by even younger boys. By the 1980s, they had become a garment for infants.

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,br> Created: October 21, 2001
Last updated: 11:09 PM 9/21/2015