Figure 1.--This 1958 image from a sewing magazine shows a sunsuit=style play romper outfit for a younger boy. Click on the image to see the smock that came with it. Also notice the large pockets, |
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Although not a common style, some Dutch boys, like boys in other European countries did wear romers or "speelpakje". It was a style for younger boys. HBC is not sure just when rompers first appeared in the Netherlands, but believes it was the 1920s after World War I. They were initially a play garment, some dressy versions also appeared. They appear to have been most common during the 1940s and 50s. HBC at this time, however, has little information on how common they were during the 1920s and 30s. The 1950s romper play outfits were generally the sun suit style, commonly with bib front. There were, however, many different styles. Some romers were also sleeved garments and there were some with only the bubble romber opants and attached suspenders. Some rompers in the 1950s were also made for dress wear. Often rompers could be a play garment, but by adding a dressy blouse could be made into a more formal garment.
Some garments have obvious translations between different languages. Rompers is one of those garments for which there is no easy translation into Dutch.
There is no Dutch word with the precise meaning of rompers. The English term rompers mean a loose outer garment combining a waist and short pants or knickers. Commonly they were shorts with elastic gathered leg openings. They were often play suits, some were made uinto more formal outfits. The Dutch say "speelpakje," a suit to play in or play suit. This could include a variety of different outfits, some of which would not be called rompers in English.
A Dutch reader tells us that, "If I were translating an English text with "rompers"
into Dutch, "speelpakje" would be adequate in many instances, but I would have to consider at least two other expressions. One is "kruippakje" (a suit to crawl in). The difference is not one of fabric or construction but mainly of age. It is a common word for much the same garment when worn by very young children. And in some instances I would not hesitate, even in a Dutch text, to use the Malay/Indonesian expression "tjelana monjet" (little monkey shorts). These rompers, well known to Dutch boys in the tropics up to the 1960s, were a very loose "speelpakje", always without the elastic gathered leg openings common in
the European variety. [HBC generally refers to the suns for young boys withour e;asticised legs as play suits.] There is a large body of Dutch-East-Indian literature in which the difference between settlers/Eurasians and newcomers plays an important part. In these stories, having a character speak of a 'speelpakje' could be one way of qualifying him or her as a very recent newcomer to the colonial society.
HBC is not sure just when rompers first appeared in the Netherlands, but believes it was the 1920s after World War I. They were initially a play garment, some dressy versions also appeared. They appear to have been most common during the 1940s and 50s. We note one Dutch boy wearing roimpers in the late 1940s or early 50s. HBC at this time, however, has little information on how common they were during the 1920s and 30s. HBC notes fewer romper suits in the 1960s by which time the style appears to have become less popular.
Although not a common style, some Dutch boys, like boys in other European countries did wear rompers. They do not appear to have been particularly popular in the Netherlands, but they were worn.
Rompers were a style for yonger boys. They were primarily worn by pre-school boys. Very young boys wore them even infants as young as 1 years of age and now even younger boys and girls. Boys up to 5 or 6 years old might wear them, usually pre-school boys. After boys began school they were lkess likely to wear rompers. Some slightly older boys, however did wear them. HBC has noted photographs of boys as old as old as 7-8 years wear them--both the dressy and play suit styles. This appears, hoerver, not to have been the general pattern. Older boys wearing rompers appear to have primarily been boys from affluent families. Thr age conventions for rompers have changed over time. It was more common for older bous of 5 and 6 to wear rompers in the 1950s than is the case today where they are primarily worn by very young children.
HBC does not believe that rompers were created in the Netherlands nor do we yet know of any destinctive Dutch styles. These styles were also worn in neighboring countries as well as in America. There appaer to have been several different types of romper suits. The 1950s romper play outfits were generally the sunsuit style, commonly with bib front. There were, however, many different styles. Some romers were full tops with sleeves--both short and long. There were some with only the bubble romper pants and attached suspenders. These different types could be made in both play and dressy styles.
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The available images of rompers are almost always from the front. This shows the usual arrangement of suspender staps, rather like suspender shorts for older boys. Some romper suits have bip front rather than just the plain suspenders. The suspenders also vary greatly in width. The arrangement at the back is not always shown. Usually the suspender straps cross in the back. The point of the cross also varies. HBC has noted parallel arrangement with a supporting horizontal strap with some suspender shorts. Romper suits may have had the same arrangements. Some of the play rompers had large pockets. Interestingly, however, a HBC reader reports, "Please note that on your main romper page you remark on how the romper was knee length. I note that in the 1922 Montgomery Ward Catalogue romper page knee length cuffed rompers were referred to as "Dutch" rompers. The term seemed to apply to the cuff at the bottom of the romper. It may also have referred to the shape of the romper bottom but I am uncertain." HBC is unsure as to why Montgomery Ward referred to their rompers as Dutch rompers. Sometimes such labels have noting to do with the styles in the country specified. On the other hand, sometimes the country labels are relevant. Hopefully futher investigation will throw some light into this topic.
Early Dutch rompers are believed to have been knee-length garments. We do not yet, however, have information to confirm this. Rompers by the 1950s had become much shorter garments.
Many Dutch rompers were made with an accompanying smock. The outfit could be worn with or without the smock. The smoc could be used as a protective garment or to provide a little extra warmth on a chilly dat or morning. Nornmally the smock and romper were made in matching colors.
HBC is no positive about the gender conventiions. We are not yet sure about this, but rompers in the 1940s and 50s appear to have primarily a boys' garment. Available images of brothersa and sisters from this period show boys in rompers and girls in skirted outfits. By the 1990s rompers were worn by both girls and boys--although very young children.
Detailing varied greatly on rompers. Some had pockets while others did not. Buttons might be used in the detailing, especially when the rompers have attached suspenders rather than a bibfront or sleeved style. They were often solid colors, but might have detailing such as colored stripes.
HBC has no color information at this time, but believes that rompers came in a variety of colors--probably pastels rather than bright colors. Color information, however, is not readily available. Most of our Dutch bloomer images are balck and white and thus the color is not readuly avilable. One color image shows a boy in the 1960s wearing a blue romper outfit. We do not have copies of Dutch cothing catalogs that would provide us some information on colors.
We have so far collected only information available on the material used in these romper suits. Dress rompers appear to have often been made in velvet. Some play rompers appear to have been made in gingham.
Some rompers in the 1950s were also made for dress wear. Often rompers could be a play garment, but by adding a dressy blouse could be made into a more formal garment.
Rompers appear to have been a rather adaptable garment. Some were worn as play garments or informally around the house. Other romper outfits were a dressy style for a younger child. In some cases a rather plain romper can ve turned intona dressy one by adding a formal blouse. Dutch mothers muight dress the boy in a blouse with a Peter Pan collar and puff sleeves for a very dressy look. On other instances a romper was clearly a play or dress outfit because of the stylibg or material used. Rompers made of velvet, for example, were clearly dress outfits.
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