Figure 1.--This French family snapshot was taken in 1949-50. There are five unidentified brothers very close in age, we suspect space about 2 years. The older boys look to be school age and all dressed alike in shirts and boxer short pants. The younger boys both wear rompers, but with different gilets (short sweaters) so we are unsure what type of romper outfits they are wearing. Given the procession here, we are guessing the younger boys in rompers are 2-4 years old.

Rompers were very popular for 4-year olds in France. We see quite a few boys in the photographic record wearing different kinds of rompers ar age 4 years, both in the maternelles (nursery schools) and at home. Catalogs in the late 1950s were showing rompers for boys up to about 4-5 years. Another French reader writes, "About the acceptable romper age, rompers durings the 1940s and 50s were very popular boy through age 4 years. French boys now wear rompers are mostly infants and todlers. We note a 4 year old boy who had his portrait taken dressed in a romper. A 1959 newspaper ad offered rompers in sizes up to 4 years. Another family snapshot shows a little French boy about 4 years old fishing with his brother in 1952. A advertising for embroidery showed a boy about 4 years old in a bib-front romper suit worn with a blouse. We also notice boys wearing rompers with gilets (short sweaters).