Figure 1.--This 1970 Prénatal ad has a classic manteau baby. The blue colors were normlly worn by boys.
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Figure 1.--This 1970 Prénatal ad has a classic manteau baby. The blue colors were normlly worn by boys. |
Beginning about the 1940s we begin to note classic double-breasted coats for little boys, referred to in French as "manteau baby". They coats were also very popular in America and England. We are not sure where this style first appeared, but we begin noticing it in France in the late 1940s, but it may have originated even earlier. It is a style generaly associated with wealthy children. Prince Charles and other wealthy English children wore them. As did wealthy American children, including John F. Kennedy, Jr. They were worn by both boys and girls. I'm not sure if there were differences in the sxtyles worn by boys and girls. There were a variety of stylistic differences, but I do not know if these were associated with gender. Stylistic differences included such variations as the cuts/vents on the back of the coat. Some had velvet detailing on the lapels. By the 1970s, these classic coats were being worn only pre-school boys to about age 4-6 years.
A HBC reader has provided this image from a 1970 Prénatal catalog. Prénatal is a French chain of stories specializing in baby care products and clothes for younger children. A French reader reports that Prénatal is a nationally known chain and very popular because of the quality of their mrchandize. The text on the ad refers to Prénatal in general and not just the manteau baby in generl. It reads, "Toutes les qualites de facilité d'entretien Tergal®. Elasticité et confort du jersey indéformable Palypa®. C'est pourquoi Prénatal a choisi pour cet adorable ensemble si pratique Tergal-Palypa." This translates as something like, "All qualities of the easy maintainability of Tergal®. Elasticity and comfort of the undeformable jersey Palypa®. This is why Prénatal has chosen Tergal-Palypa for this adorable and pratical ensemble "
Two trademarked fabrics are mentioned here, Tergal® and Palypa®. Tergal® is a finely woven polyester fabric.
The coat pictured is the classic manteau babby, a double breased coat tht buttons to he collar along with side pockets. These coat were or both boys and girls 2 to 4/5 years old. It could be buttoned on either side. There were, however, many other styles. I'm not sure hy they are not listed in numerical order. The a copy provides information on sizes, colors, and material.
Figure 2.--Thi is the coat and hat described in style A. It was made in sized gor childrn from 1 1/2 to 5 years. |
The ad copy reads, "Manteau et chapeau en Tergal®, croise mixte double boutonnage ... Fr 63.00. ciel 40 cm ... Fr 65.00. Ciel, beige 45 cm ... Fr 67.00." This would translate as, "Coat and cap in Tergal®, cross mixed double buttoning ... Fr 63.00. sky (a light blue) 40 cm ... Fr 65.00. Sky, beige 45 cm ... Fr 67.00. The sky blue coat was for boys while the beige coat was for boys and girls.
The ad copy reads, "Manteau et chapeau en matière plastique. Blanc 40, 45, 50 cm. ... Fr 10.75." This would translate as "Coat and cap in plastic material. White 40, 45, 50 cm... Fr 10.75. "
The ad copy reads, "Manteau et suroit en ciré, grosse femeture à glissiére. Jaune ou marine. 40 cm ... Fr 35.00. 45 cm ... Fr 36.50. 50 cm Fr 38.00. This would translate as "Coat and
sailor's cap in waxed fabric, large zipped closing. Yellow or navy. 40 cm ... Fr 35.00. 45 cm ... Fr 36.50. 50 cm Fr 38.00.
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en tissu enduit croisé mixte double boutonnage, suroit assorti. Quadrillé ciel blanc ou rose blanc. 40 cm ... Fr 42.80. 45 cm ... Fr 45.80." This would translate as "Coat in waxed fabric with crossed mixed double buttoning, matching sailor's
hat. Checkered white/sky or pink/white. 40 cm... Fr 42.80. 45 cm... Fr 45.80."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en ciré, croisé mixte double boutonnage, suroit assorti. Rouge ou marine. 45 cm ... Fr 35.90. 50 cm ... Fr. 37.90." That would translate as, "Coat in
waxed fabric, crossed mixed double buttoning, matching sailor's cap. Red or navy. 45 cm... Fr 35.90. 50 cm... France 37.90."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau et casquette en Terlenka® boutonnage sous patte. Beige. 45 cm ... Fr 84.00. 50 cm ... Fr 92.00. This would tranlate as, "Coat and cap in Terlenka®
hidden buttoning . Beige. 45 cm... Fr 84.00. 50 cm Fr 92.00."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en piqué de Tergal®, croisé mixte double boutonnage. Blanc 35 cm ... Fr 49.00. 40 cm ... Fr 53.00." This translates as something like, "Coat in [piqué?
= pinked sewing ?] of Tergal®, crossed mixed double buttoning. White 35 cm... Fr 49.00. 40 cm... Fr 53.00. "
Figure 3.--This is coat style H. Blue coats were normally worn by boys. Notice the white gloves. |
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en polyester mélangé, croisé mixte double boutonnage. Gris. 40 cm ... Fr 44.90. 45 cm ... Fr 46.90." That translates as something like, "Coat in [piqué?
= pinked sewing?] of Tergal®, crossed mixed double buttoning. White 35 cm ... Fr 49.00. 40 cm... Fr 53.00."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau façon trenchen gabardine Diolen®, croisé mixte double boutonnage, casquette assortie. Beige ou marine. 45 cm ... Fr 89.00. 50 cm ... Fr 97.00." This would tranlate as, "Gabardin trench coat in Diolen®, cross mixed double buttoning,
matched cap. Beige or navy. 45 cm ... Fr 89.00. 50cm ... Fr 97.00."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en Tergal®, croisé mixte double boutonnage, capuche amovible. Ciel ou rose 40 cm ... Fr 54.00." This translates as "Coat in Tergal®, cross mixed double buttoning, removable hood. Sky or pink 40 cm ... Fr 54.00."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau en Nylon® matelassé. Blanc. 35, 40 cm ... Fr 29.90. This translates as, "Coat in padded Nylon®. White. 35, 40 cm ... Fr 29.90."
Manteau en acrylique façon ratine croisé mixte double boutonnage. Blanc. 35, 40 cm ... Fr 45.50." This translates as, "Acrylic coat 'ratine'like cross mixed double buttoning. White. 35, 40 cm ... Fr 45.50."
The ad copy reads, "Manteau et chapeau en Tergal®. Rose 40 cm ... Fr 55.00. 45 cm ... Fr 59.00." This translates as, "Coat and cap in Tergal®. Pink 40 cm... Fr 55.00. 45 cm... Fr 59.00."
The ad copy reads, "Cape en matière plastiqu. Blanc. 40, 45, 50 cm ... Fr 6.90." This translates as, "Cape in plastic material. White. 40, 45, 50 cm ... Fr 6.90."
A French reader has helped with the translations. He is not sure about the translation of "piqué". It could be 'pricked' or 'pinked sewing', whatever fits best for a garment. "Suroît" is an interesting word, meaning here 'sailor's hat', HBC would probably say a fisherman's hat--a waterproof hat more or less
the shape of a cap with a very large visor worn backwards to cover nape down to shoulders. Originally it defines in sailor's terminology a wind coming from south-west and is a corrupted contraction of "Sud" - "Ouest". Similarly "Noroìt" for a North-West wind. This sound very much like a "south-wester" in English.
The sizes indicated are the length of the garments, not the height of the child. A HBC reader suggests that the approximate ages for these sizes are: 40 cm = 11/2 - 2 years, 45 cm = 3 years, and 50 cm = 4 to 5 years. Concerning the sizes: Generally before 1970s one gives le lengh of the clothes or the age. Later 1970s one gives the height of the children or their age. The sizes of the manteay baby were the same as the rompers until about 1970. This was because these coats were almost always worn with short pants or in some cases rompers. Short pants declined in popularity in the 1970s and rompers became less common. Perhaps because of this the coats after the 1970s became a little longer.
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