Figure 1.--Here I am dressed up on Sunday in my best white Barboteuse with mother at my side. It is a classic French Barboteuse with puff sleeves and pants. There was also a big bow at the back, wich can't be seen in the snap shot here. |
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By the age of 5-6 years, one retains many memories about our childhood. I recall that was quite proud to wear rompers. I rather liked the look. In this time, for us boys it was perfectly normal to be dressed in rompers. Many of our frinds also wore rompers. And I recall that adults said that we looked so cute. At that age we liked getting compliments. My aunt was a bit jealous becaus her son (my cousin) never was a petit garçon modèle. He is the little boy 6 years old, at my side on the previous page. I was a little young to remember, but André tells me that he well remembers that during his Communion their aunt gave realy sign of jealousy to see. A reader writes, "Another question about Daniel, or actually his cousin. Why could his aunt not drress her som as a petit garcon modele? A French reader tells us, "In fact, it is a bit complicated. Some mothers didn't like or for a variety of reasons were not able to do so. Perhaps her husband or other family members didn't like the look. Children by the 1950s were becoming more expressive. Consequently in society or inside the familly, the people didn't have the same tender eyes on their children and probably these mothers were frustrated.] Another reader writes, "HBC has a splended page on petit garcon modele. I have read it again. I studied the picture showing Daniel and his cousin. I think his cousin, although a good behaved boy was also a high spirited child - Just William type of child. The reason why his cousin was not a Petit Garcon modele was the boy's character. It is likely that he did not keep the conventions and behaviour associated with this fashion code of conduct. High spirited, cheeky children whose play turned them into scruffly dressed individuals could not be a Petit Garcon Modele child. It was more than wearing special types of clothes. I think that's what Charles or Daniel was trying to say politely. The boy's character prevented him being this type of boy. His mum wanted her boy to follow this code. She was disappointed that he was different. Took me quite a while to understand but French folk would have instantly understood. I know lots of lovely polite, conciderate French boys and none of them would be considered Petit Garcon Modele. Their untidy dress code would preclude their admittance into this group. Now I do too."
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