French Rompers: Seasonality


Figure 1.--This important French fashion magazine in 1949 pictured a boy dressed up in his romper (barboteuse) to open his Christmas presents. This is his dress outfit, note his sisters in their best dresses. Even though this is a Christmas scene, the boy looks to be wearing a summer ropmer suit. Notice the short puffed sleeves rather than long sleeves. Not all Winter rompers had long sleeves. Some especially for formal occassions had short puff sleeves.

Rompers would seem to be a seasonal garment for warm weather summer wear. They were most commonly warm in the summer, especially of course the romper sunsuits. They were not, however, only worn in the summer. While rompers were often worn as a play garment, they were also considered dress wear for a mall boy. As a result boys worn them for dress occasuons year round--even in the winter. Rompes were made in many different materials. Some were made in light materials or warm-weather. Winter rompers might be made in wool and worn with knee socks. Suspender rompers for dress wear might be mad in velvet. Of course many boys did not have a large wardrobe of rompers outfits so they might wear a light-weight rompr suit for a formal occassion in th inter. The most commom winter rompers were knitted of wool or made "confection en velour milleraies", both fine corduroys and velvets. The cut of winter and summer rompers were the same, there were no special styles for the winter, except the sleeve could be long or short , in the last case it was worn with a jacket made in same cloth. A French reader reports that this was called an "ensemble". The "ensemble" were considered most pratical at home. In the years before central heating, the home could be rather cold,) sometimes as cold as in the garden or out on the street.

Seasonality

Rompers would seem to be a seasonal garment for warm weather summer wear. They were most commonly warm in the summer, especially of course the romper sunsuits. They were not, however, only worn in the summer. French boys also wore rompers in the Winter with the same puff pants.

Conventions

While rompers were often worn as a play garment, they were also considered dress wear for a mall boy. As a result boys worn them for dress occasuons year round--even in the winter.

Material

Rompes were made in many different materials. Some were made in light materials or warm-weaher. Winter rompers might be made in wool and worn with knee socks. Suspender rompers for dress wear might be mad in velvet. Of course many boys did not have a large wardrobe of rompers outfits so they might wear a light-weight rompr suit for a formal occassion in th inter. The most commom winter rompers were knitted of wool or made "confection en velour milleraies", both fine corduroys and velvets.

Styling

The cut of winter and summer rompers were the same, there were no special styles for the winter, except the sleeve could be long or short , in the last case it was worn with a jacket made in same cloth. A French reader reports that this was called an "ensemble". The "ensemble" were considered most pratical at home. In the years before central heating, the home could be rather cold) sometimes as cold as in the garden or out on the street. These winter models had the puff pants with the the leg length as short as the summer model. They didn't have a belt, but instead a sort of cord made from knitting wool with two pompons at the end which was placed not in the back like a bow but at the side. The Winter style had long sleeves. There was crotch butonning. Not all Winter rompers had long sleeve. Some dressy rompers for formal occassions had puff ir baloon sleeves even in the Winter.







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Created: November 13, 2001
Last updated: 10:24 PM 10/22/2004