Figure 1.--"Modes et travaux" in its June 1, 1941 issue offered these patterns for a boy's play suit and a girl's dress. Note the boy's outfit looks rather like shortalls. Girls in the 1940s still commonly played in dresses. The boy's pattern was for a 5-year old. |
Modes et travaux in its June 1, 1941 issue offered a pattern for a Shantung silk play suit called a combination short pants outfit for little boys which looked rather like shortalls worn with a blouse. The pattern shown was for a 5 year old.
Modes et travaux was perhaps the most important French sewing magazine in the 1940s. During the German occupation after 1941, clothing became increasingly difficult to obtain. Thus sewing your own or your family's clothing became increasingly important. The title reads, "Filles et garçons en été.". That would translate as "Girls and boys in summer". The author then goes on to describe patterns for several Summer outfits for younger boys and girls. The age for each garment is not specified, but they appear to be for children 4-6 years of age. There were both dresses for girls and short sets for boys, including the two garments seen here. There were also coats for a boy and girl.
Modes et travaux in its June 1, 1941 issue offered a pattern for a Shantung silk play suit outfit for little boys which looked rather like shortalls worn with a blouse. Note the side buttoning, the tappered waist, and slant pockets. The pattern shown was for a 5 year old. The boy's outfit is called a "cutlotte-combinaison", meaning combinatin shorts. This is usually used with two-piece outfits and was not uniquilly used to describe shortalls. It is probably used here because despite the fact that the boy's shorts are a one piece garment, they include both the top and bottom. They are clearly much more than a version of suspender shorts or even bib-front shorts. I have not notoced a destinctive French word for these shortalls-like garments. This is a rather early appearance of shortalls. I'm not sure if shortalls were being worn in America yet.
The ad copy for the fancy outfit shown here reads, "107: Ce petit garçon porte une culotte-combinaison en shantung naturel ou en flanelle, la blouse est en toile de soie blanche. Métr. pour 5 ans: 1 m. 20 en 1 m. pour la culotte, 0 m. 75 pour la blouse." That would translate as "This little boy wears combination short pants made of natural color shantung silk or flannel, the blouse is in white silk fabric. Measurements for 5 years: 1 Mr. 20 in 1 Mr. for the cullote, 0 Mr. 75 for the blouse."
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