Figure 1.--Here we see twoi children at some sort of olay area, we thiunk in the 1950s. The girl wears a dress hich zar=y=t gthe time was commion even for play. The boy wears bib-front rompers. Notice mother had add a rather dressy blous with puff sleeves like the girl's dress.

Rompers were primarily a play garment for younger boys. As far as we can tell, rompers first appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. Dress conventions were very formal in the late-19th and early-20th century. After the turn of the century we begin to see a trend toward informality, at first noticeable most prominently in children's wear. Children still dressed formally, but we see change bginning. And the appearnce of rompers is one of those changes. Rompers were at first mostly a play garment. And younger children often got clothes dirty very quickly. They were a simple garment that boys could wear that were easily washable. Washing a family clothes when rompers first appeared were major part of a mother's work load. This should nit be discounted asa n imprtant factoir in fsshion trends, especially children's fashions. And most French mothers got washing machines later than American mothers. So rompers were an easy way to dress mostly pre-school boys. We see large numbers of pre-school boys wearing these play rompers. Before World War II, fgamily snap shors appeared, but were not nearly nas common as in other major countries (merica, Britain, and Germany). And few mothers took their children for a formal studio portait dressed in play rompers. Thus until affter World War II, the photiograohic record is biased in favor of formal styles. Bib-front rompers seem to have become more popular after World War II. We see them extensively in the photographic record. They seem especially common in the 1950s. Here the rising prosperiry as part of the French Economic Miracle may have had some impact on the photographic record with more family snapshots being taken. Boys wore them at home as well as for outings to parks and outdoor parties. The children here appaer to be at some sort of public recreational era , we believe in the 1950s (figure 1). Short pants were common for school age boys into the 1960s. Younger boy also wore short pants, but also rompers and smocks as play garments. Bib-front rompers were especially popular for beach vacations. We seem being worn into the 1960s. After that they have become more of an infant garmrent and we begin to see them beung used by this very yong age group for girls and no longer just by boys.

Play Garment

Rompers were primarily a play garment for younger boys. We have foundf large numbers of images of French boys wearing rompers as play garments.

Major Fashion Trend

As far as we can tell, rompers first appeared after the turn-of-the 20th century. Dress conventions were very formal in the late-19th and early-20th century. After the turn of the century we begin to see a trend toward informality, at first noticeable most prominently in children's wear. Children still dressed formally, but we see change bginning. And the appearnce of rompers is one of those changes.

Laundry

Rompers were at first mostly a play garment. And younger children often got clothes dirty very quickly. They were a simple garment that boys could wear that were easily washable. Washing a family clothes when rompers first appeared were major part of a mother's work load. This should nit be discounted asa n imprtant factoir in fsshion trends, especially children's fashions. And most French mothers got washing machines later than American mothers. So rompers were an easy way to dress mostly pre-school boys. Rompers like smocks were done in cotton fabric and this an easy garment to wash.

Prevalence

We see large numbers of pre-school boys wearing these play rompers.

Chronology

Before World War II, faamily snap shors appeared, but were not nearly nas common as in other major countries (merica, Britain, and Germany). And few mothers took their children for a formal studio portait dressed in play rompers. Thus until affter World War II, the photiograohic record is biased in favor of formal styles. Bib-front rompers seem to have become more popular after World War II. We see them extensively in the photographic record. They seem especially common in the 1950s. Here the rising prosperiry as part of the French Economic Miracle may have had some impact on the photographic record with more family snapshots being taken. Boys wore them at home as well as for outings to parks and outdoor parties. The children here appaer to be at some sort of public recreational era , we believe in the 1950s (figure 1).

Age Trends

Boys' wardrobes were still limited in the early 20th cebtury. Many boys did not have play clothes. The general practice was to have a set of clothes for best and another vset of old vclothes for everyday waer. This was normally knee pants or bloomer knickers. Short pants became common after World War I (1920s). We do not see many boys wearing rompers to any extent until the 1930s. Short pants were common for school age boys through the 1960s. Younger boy also wore short pants, but also rompers and smocks as play garments. Rompers were a common play grments for pre-school boys. We do not see school age boys wearing rimpers for play to any extent. Smocks were more of a school garments, but we see some younger boys wearing smaocks as a play garment as well. Not as many as the boys wearing rompers for play, but we do see some. For school age noys, short pants ewere more common, but began to decline as long pants began to bdevome increasingly common in the 1960s.

Types

Bib-front rompers were especially popular for beach vacations. Here we see a boy wearing them and a kind of park our=ting (Fifute 1). Mother has added a dressy touch, a blouse with pouff sleeves (figure 1). We seethese rompers being worn into the 1960s. After that they have become more of an infant garmrent and we begin to see them beung used by this very yong age group for girls and no longer just by boys.

Reader Comments

A French reader writes, "This and the other park snapshots, provide a wonderful collection of play images during the late 1940s and 50s. Beautiful views of happy children at play. It all seems very French. I grew up during these years and remember the era very well. Very nice photos of the children and their play clothes. Rompers were very popular at the time. Mothers were very fond of the style. Much was given to us. I was born just before the War. The children here were called 'Enfants du babyboom'. A nostalgic time."