Figure 1.-- Here we see two little boy wash suits offered by Wards in their Summer 1914 catalog. The outfit on the left is a sailor blouse suit. The outfit on the right is a tunic suit which Wards called a Russian blouse suit. Although the illustration shows the sailor blouse suit being worn by an older boy, the actual sizing of the two outfits was very similar. |
Here we see some of the wash suits offered by Wards in its Summer 1914. We note Wards offering sailor blouse suits. These were sailor suits worn with middy blouses. They were one of the styles of wash suits shown with the Russian blouse outfits. They were offered in only a very slight older range of sizes. The top was a blouse wjhich blouced at the waist with a drawstring. The pants were the same bloomer knickers worn with the tunic suits (Russian blouses) and French blouses. The Wards illustrations show them being worn by older boys who are wearing dark long stockings rather than short socks.
Although the word "consumerism" has a modern ring, it was personal concern for an early consumer movement, the "National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry," That inspired a young traveling salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward to start the world's first general merchandise mail-order company in 1872. Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844, in Chatham, New Jersey, to a family whose forebears had served as officers in the French and Indian Wars as well as in the American Revolution. Looking for something more compatible, Monty left home and followed the river to Lake Michigan and the town of St. Joseph, county seat and market for outlying fruit orchards. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry goods trade and in the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter. As a retailer, Potter Palmer had previously built a reputation for fair dealing. Ward absorbed these principles while working as a clerk for $5. The Chicago City Directories for 1868 through 1870 listed Ward as a salesman for Wills, Greg & Co. and later for Stetthauers & Wineman, both dry goods houses. In 1870, after canvassing territory in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ward was again footloose. The plan shaping in Ward's mind was to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and cutting selling costs to the bone, he could offer goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices - for cash. Since its founding in 1872, the company has literally "grown up with America" and has had a major impact on the shopping habits of a nation of consumers. Montgomery Ward & Co. discontinued its catalog operations in 1985 as part of its restructuring effort to change itself into a modern, competitive chain of value-driven specialty stores, a move which for a time saved the company. week
These outfits were both under the general category of wash suits. They were summer suits that were easy for mother to wash. I'm not sure just when the term "wash" suit" began to be used, but it reflects the greater concern of the housewife to reduce her domestic work load. Laundry day at the turn of the century was a trrible druggery. American business responsed to the need to reduce the workload by creating modern laundry detergents as well as laundry machines which made a huge difference. Increasingly casul clothing also helped by reducung the amount of clothes to be washed. Thus clothes that were easy to launder were an important selling point. The term sailor blouse suit refers to the matching blouse which bouced at the waist and matching bloomer knickers.
The illustration shows them as a boy's outfit. We have seen girls wearing the Russian blouse outfits and middy blouses, but not middy blouses with the bloomer knickers seen here. With middy blouses girls wote skirts.
We note Wards offering sailor blouse suits. These were sailor suits worn with middy blouses. They were one of the styles of wash suits shown with the Russian blouse outfits. They were offered in only a very slight older range of sizes. The top was a blouse wjhich blouced at the waist with a drawstring. The pants were the same bloomer knickers worn with the tunic suits (Russian blouses) and French blouses. The Wards illustrations show them being worn by older boys who are wearing dark long stockings rather than short socks.
Wards offered two styles of sailor blouse suits, in different colors. We see one in the image here
Here we have a set that includes the hat and an extra pair of bloomer knickers. The Wards as copy read, "98c Boys Sailor Blouse Was Suits, with TWO pairs of Breeches and Cap. The material used in this suit is a heavy duster cloth in the tan or brown shade. The neck shield is trimmed with white, flat braid and can be removed when the weather becomes warmer. The blouse is gathered at the waist with an elastic band. The cap is made of the same material as the suit. The breeches are made bloomer style and have the buttonhole waist band. Sizes 3 to 8 years. State age."
this is another set that includes the hat and an extra pair of bloomer knickers. The Wards as copy read, "$1.45 Boys Sailor Blouse Wash Suit, with TWO pairs of Breeches and Hat. This suit is made woth blue-striped cotton Manchester wash suiting. The blouse is made double-breasted and is gathered at the waist with an elastic band. The large sailor collar is made of a solid color, dark blue wash goods and will not run when washed. The shild is made of a double thickness white cotton fabric, and is removable. The hat is made of the same material as the blouse and is trimmed with a blue ???. . The breeches are made bloomer style with buttonhole waist band. Sizes 3 to 8 years. State age."
The Wards ad copy read, "Child's Sailor Blouse Suit. This suit is made of an alternate blue and white stripe cotton wash fabric. Makes an ttractive play suit for the little fellow. Collar is made of fast color navy blue material, which will not run when washed, ans is trimmed with white braid. The tie is made of the same dark blue material, and is securely fasened to the blouse. The breeches are made bloomer style with button hole waist band. Sizes 3 to 8 years."
This outfit is illustrated here (figure 1). The Wards ad copy read, "98c Child's Double-breasted Sailor Blouse Suit. Very heavy, guaranteed fast color Gingham. Two shades blue with white stripes, or brown with white tripes. Hs collar of the same, trimmed with strip of contrasting brown or blue and white braid. Has white, removable shield with embroidered front, and bloomer breeches. Sizes 3 to 8 years. Cut very full and roomy." Note the removable shield or dickey. Wards does not explain hust how they attached. Also knote the oants are referred to as bloomer breeches and not knickers.
Same the above only done in brown.
Several other garments are shown in the illustrations. The garments are clearly summer styles.
The headwear shown with these suits were only illustrative. They did not go with the suits. Mother could pick what ever style she wanted. Most of the styles are sailor styles, although one of the illustrations for an outfit not seen here shows a flat cap.
Long stockings were still very common for children in 1914. Note that the younger boys here in summer outfits are all pictured wearing short socks. We have noted photographic portraits showing boys wearing these outfits with long stockings. Also the slightly older boys on this page shown wearing sailor rather than Russian blouses are shown wearing long stockings. The convention suggested by this is short socks leaving the knees bare were only appropriate for younger boys. The long stockings seen here look grey. I don't know if they meant to indicate grey long stockings or this was more of an artistic device and the actual color was meant to xhow black stockings. As far as we can tell, black stockings were more common than grey ones/
Both boys here are shown wearing high-top shoes, in this case two-tone shoes. Most of the boys shown wearing Russian and French blouses were shown wearing sandals, either double strap sandals with a center strap or single strap Mary Jane sandals/strap shoes.
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