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Boys' fashions in France during the 1920s were begining to be more juvenile than in England . In fact this started at the end of World War I in 1918. Many old photos show boys with a touch of baby clothes. Interestingly, this juvenile style for boys became popular at the sme time that it was becoming less common for younger boys to wear dresses. This juvenile look lasted in France utill the early 1960s. Gradually esnctive juvenile styles declined in popularity and boys clothing began to more and more resemble adult styles as was the practice in the 18th century. The strongest period in France for this juvenile look for boys was from 1936 utill the early 1960s. This style was especially popular in the cities, but was worn Sunday in rural areas as well. Garments included rompers, short pants and even very short pants along with blouses with puffed sleeves and Peter Pan (col Claudine) rounded collars were the basic clothes. There were also smocks, but these were seen as more of a utilitarian than a dressy garment. This juvenile look was one element in what French readers have described as the "garçon modéle".
There were major changes in fashions in France and other countries following World War I (1914-18). " Musée Galliera " of Paris reports that the French style for boys after 1920 became fancier. The Museum explains that the standard style clothes for girls and boys was the top of the garment with a well-gathered blouse with or without smocking; embroidery emboiederies), Peter Pan collars, and puffed sleeves. Boys wore shorter short pants and girls skirted gasrments. Boys and girl were wotr the samne style stap shoes (souliers). Sandals (sandalettes) were for boys
A HBC reader writes, "I am having a debate with other people concerning the gender of a child in an old 1920s French postcard (figure 1). I am convinced that the child on the right (wearing short pants) is a boy, but some of my fellow debaters believe it is a girl. So I thought we might as well ask for your expert opinion on this matter!" [Ranma Saotome] HBC does not believe that there is much doubt about it. Clearly the children are wearing dressy clothes for the postcard. Girls in the 1920s did not dress up in short pnts, they wore dressess. Any review of photographic images or magazines will show that girls in the 1920s dressed up in dresses. In addittion boys might commonly dress up in blouses and short pants as a dressy outfit before at a some older age they began wearing suits.
A French reader tells us, "The HBC comment of this page is perfectly corect. The child on the right is definitely a boy. HBC is rich of many pages describing the fashion about the French children during the inter-war era. The conventions about the way to dress these children were free but rather strict. So a girl was never wear short trousers. The only exceptions were during sport or also at the seaside; sometime in the country during the hollidays. By this way it is impossible to see a image of girls wearing a short pant in school or along the week and much more in Sunday clothes, before 1960 .
The child in the right on the postcard is clearly a boy. His hairstyle was common ( Myself I had got a such cut up to 5 years in 1940s period-- the reader can see the images which I sent to HBC ). The boy's shoes are called in French: " Souliers vernis " or "Charles IX " were especially selected for the Sunday , but the petits garçons modeles
were wearring them all days. During World War I and after boys wore a sort of strap
shoes called : "sandalettes " This sort of shoes were seen even on the Sunday or on the petits garçons modèles , in this case they were in white or navy color.
The blouse of this little boy , is a model worn around or after the World War I;
Later in 1930s the mothers were prefering to select the model, with puffed sleeves, little Peter Pan collars, sometime with emboideries, or more current with smocking. Till 6 years old the buttonning was often in the back. This sort of shirt was very offten called " Guimpe "
I have to point out that the " petits enfants modèles " was a French sociaty phenomeon , particulary in fashion after the WWI till 1950s. That was coming from " Madame de Sègur " with her [?roman]. It was concerning all class of the french sociaty , perhaps more
the little girls. It was possible to see a little girl or little boy in look " petit
enfant modèle" in ordinary or a bourgeoisy family The sens of this term is always understand by the new generation ; but such children don't exsit practictly anymore today.
I also believe that HBC is correct that this post cArd dates from the 1920s.
