French Mail Order Catalogs with Boys Clothings: 1959 Smocks for Boys and Girls


Figure 1.--This adverisement appeared in the 1959 French La Redoute catalog showing a wide range of smocks. Some were smocks for boys and one could be worn by both boys and girls.

The "La Redoute" catalog was well known throughhout France. The clothing offered is a good indicator of styles that were widely worn in France and by French people in oberseas locations. The some styles were qlso widely worn in Belgium. This page showing smocks was from the 1959 catalog.

Smock A

This smock is pictured with a boy model. I cannot, however read the ad copy. The smock pictured is a collarless back buttoning gingham smock.

Smock B

This smock is pictured with a boy model. I cannot, however read the ad copy, except that it came in sizes 2-6 years. The smock pictured is a front buttoning smock with a colar. There is contarasting trim at the collar, across the front, on the two pockets, and on the sleeve cuffs.

Smock C

This smock was made in zepher. It has a bib-front. I believe it only would have been worn by a girl.

Smocks D

Here I can make out some of the ad copy, it read "Tablier pour fillettes ou garconnnetts, en trés baile pepeline irretracissable grand taint, roughe ou bleu-roy. ?? et pouches garria tis?? rayé assorti, jupe ample ?? forme (large ??), boutonnage dos. Confection irréprochable. Londueur 40 cm ... Fr 990. et Fr 75 par 5 cm jusqu'a 70 cm." The catalog shows a girl wearing it. While I can not make it all out, this smock was for both boys and girls. It was available in both red any royal blue. Waist straps tied in a bow at the back.

Smocks E and F

The styles were for older girls. The "F" smock came in sizes up to 18 years. HBC notes that most of the smocks were called "tabliers" in French. The catalog called the front-buttoning smocks both "tablier cardigan" and "blouse cardigan".

Sizing

Some of these items specify the size in centimeters (height) of the smock rather than the age of the child. A rough indicatopr would be 40cm (12-18 months), 45 cm (2-3 years), 50 cm (4 years), 55 cm (? years), and 60 cm (? years), 65 cm (? years)m and 70 cm ( ? years).






Christopher Wagner






Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main French mail order 1959 page]
[Main photo/publishing page] [Store catalogs] [Fashion magazines]
[Main French romper page] [Main French smock page]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main French page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Bibliographies] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Contributions] [FAQs] [French glossary]
[Boys' Clothing Home]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits] [Rompers] [Tunics] [Smocks] [Pinafores]



Created: October 17, 2001
Last updated: October 17, 2001