French Boys Clothes: Fashion Attitudes


Figure 1.--Post card images often show idealized pictures of how mothers wanted to dress their children. Some did. This was a postcard made in France and used in Belgium. The post mark is no clear, but HBC would date it at about 1930.

Americans visiting France in the 19th century thought that the French were overtly very solicitous to their children and much more willing to buy expensive fancy clothes for them. Fancy outfits and lace trim were more popular in France than in America and many other countries. This attitude and fashion trend continued into the 20th century. One example were the rompers that were a common garment for younger boys into the 1960s. French fashion attitudes for children, as in other countries, are in part affected by the concept of childhhod itself. This concept has changed greattly since the 17th century and France has played an imprtant role in the development of modern concepts of childhood. One of the most important writers addressing this issue was Jean Jacques Rosseau in the 18th century. HBC has noted the term used in France "enfants modèles" and "garçon modèles". This translates as model child and boy. A French reader strsses, however, that this basic definition does not really capture the true mening of the term. We have noted that rompers are one of the outfits used for what the French call "garçons modèles" or particularly well behave and dressed boys. Fashion is not just important to the French of course. We have to first ask the queston as to whether fashion is more important to France than other countries. We have the idea that French fahion has played an important role in Europe since the monarchy of Louis XIV and his glorious court.

Chronology

Americans visiting France in the 19th century thought that the French were overly very solicitous to their children and much more willing to buy expensive fancy clothes for them. We also se boys wearing dresses well beyond the toddler stage, although there were socoal class differences. It was French fashions that played arole in lauvching the Little Lord Fauntleroy craze in America. French fashion attitudes as well as attitudes toward raising children have show remarable persistance over time. There have, however, been some changes over time. A major rhe trrible tragedy of World War I. The terrible loss of life seems to have made the French even more concious of just how precious life is and made them even more concerned with their children. And we see mothers wanting to dress boys in juvenile styles. We note that the changes since World War II have been particularly important (1939-45). We are not precisely sure just what has caused this major shift.

The 19th Century

Americans visiting France in the 19th century thought that the French were overtly very solicitous to their children and much more willing to buy expensive fancy clothes for them. One American observer reoported in 1861 after seeing children in Paris parks, "In this microcosm of society, the innocent gambols of the children present the most interesting episode. At some distance from the social bedlam, where the vices and follies of fashion run riot in unrestrained licentiousness, little boys and girls enjoy themselves in playful amusement and childish freaks. The French are remarkably fond of children. They idolize their prattling little ones, and lavish upon them ummeasured tribute of admiration. Every child is paraded in the streets, in the public walks, at places of amusement, in the most attractive guise, as real master-pices of art. Nothing is too costly or too extravagant that is not cheerfully procured, at great expense, calculated to soothe the vanity of parents and their passion for exterior adornment." [A. Featherman, "Reminiscences of Paris," Debow's Review, Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial Progress and Resources Vol. 31, iss. 4, Oct-Nov 1861, p. 412; New Orleans (pp 404-412)] The Fauntleroy suits that became so popular in America during the 1880s were actually inspired by the fashions American authoress Frances Hodgson Burnett observed while living in Paris.

The 20th Century

This attitude continued through the first half of the 20th century. A French reader advises, "To understand historical French fashions (and Italian fashions as well--the mentality is the same) people must realize that the French are very fond of children. Mothers before 1968-70 didn't try to dress them as lottle adults as was done in America. Many mothers saw thir children rather like the dolls they played with when they were little. American attitides toward children were different and this was reflected in the clothes that the children wore." One example of this is the rompers that were a common garment for younger French boys into the during the 1930s-50s and even into the 1960s. They were common thought of as an ideal garment for what French mothers referred to as the garçons modèles.

Concept of Childhood

French fashion attitudes for children, as in other countries, are in part affected by the concept of childhhod itself. This concept has changed greattly since the 17th century and France has played an imprtant role in the development of modern concepts of childhood. One of the most important writers addressing this issue was Jean Jacques Rosseau in the 18th century. In more modern times, World War I signoficantly affected the French family and the French view of children.

Garçons Modèles

HBC has noted the term used in France "enfants modèles" and "garçon modèles". This translates as model child and boy. A French reader strsses, however, that this basic definition does not really capture the true mening of the term. We have noted that rompers are one of the outfits used for what the French call "garçons modèles" or particularly well behave and dressed boys. One French reader stresses that this concept of a beautifully behaved and dressed boy was particularly prevalent for French mothers in the 1940s and 50s. Perhaps the disaster of World War II caused mothers to treat their children even more carefully and mother them more than in past generations. Thus fashions for boys emphasizing their innonsence and youth were very popular. A "garçon modèles" was expected to be obdedient and polite as well as clean and neat. He was also expected to be well dressed. HBC has noted several garments that are often associated with a "garçon modèles". The two most important are rompers and short pants, but there were other garments as well.

English Influences

A French reader reports that in 19th and early 20th centuries that the Frenchs had a great attraction for English styles. He believes that this in part nostalgia for the monarchy. During this period, especially in high French society, it was considered good form to adopt the English manners.

Other Countries

A European reader finds the above comments interesting and confirm some of the trends. He adds that, "It can be noted that Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish mothers give even more attention (and money) to children clothes than French mothers. Despite the warm climate in these countries, perents odten prefer to outfit boys in long dressy pants like men rather than short rtousers." HBC assumes that the European reader is referring to current trends as boys in these countries once commonly wore short pants. Our European reader adds that, "Mothers in northern countries like, Austria, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands would to the contrary more likely outfit their sons short pants at the first glance of sun so as to get the maximum benefit from the less frequent sunny weather." HBC is uncertain about this. Boys in these countries did once commonly wear short pants, but long pants seem much more common today.

The French and Fashion

A HBC reader writes, "I am doing a report on France and need to know why clothing and fashion is so important to the French". Fashion is not just important to the French of course. We have to first ask the queston as to whether fashion is more important to France than other countries. We have the idea that French fahion has played an important role in Europe since the monarchy of Louis XIV and his glorious court. We tend to see fashion as more important in France and Italy than other countries, but can not really substantiate this at this time. Perhaps some HBC readers have some thoughts here. The other part of the question, as to why fashion is so important in France. Here we do not know enough about France so as begin to answer the question. Surely there are important economic issues here. But are there aspects of French culture that makes fashion especially important. Hopefully our French readers will provide us some insights.






HBC






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Created: October 16, 2001
Last updated: 9:36 PM 10/27/2016