Figure 1.--This 1952 image from a sewing magazine shows a Dutch boy wearing a fancy blouse with suspender rompers--note the smocking on the boy's blouse. While rompers were often a play garment, many of the suapender rompers like this were worn as a dressy outfit. |
We have noted one boy in 1952 who looks to be about 4 or 5 years old wearing a suspender bubble romper. It is a rather dressdy romper and worn with a blouse that has a Peter Pan collar and decorative smocking. Rompers outfits like this appear to have been commonly worn by boys this age. Especially boys from wealthy families.
Rompers were a style for yonger boys. They were primarily worn by pre-school boys. 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. The biy hear looks to be about 8 years old.
This romper is a bubble outtfit with suspenders, but no bib-front. While the sunsuit style with a bibfront were connonlky worn without a shirt or blouse, the suspender type usually was worn with blouses or other typoes. The romper bottom has a re-nforced waist, but it is not elasticized. Note the large white buttons to attach the suspenders.
The boys' romper bottom appears to have pleating. I do not know how common this was. I have rarely seen pleating used on rompers like this.
The boy appears to be wearing a silk blouse with a Peter Pan collar. It has long, very full sleeves and is back buttoning. It also has decorative smocking.
The black and white image provides no clues as to the color.
I'm not sure what material was used.
HBC does not fully understand the social class variations concrning the romper garment. We beieve that rompers were most popular with affluent families. Older boys wearing rompers appear to have primarily been boys from affluent families.
This image appeared in a Dutch woman's magazine in 1952. The age conventions for rompers have changed over time. They appear to have been weorn by boys of 5 and 6 in the 1950s. This boy looks to be about 4 or 5 years old.
Rompers appear to have been a boy's garment.
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