Figure 1.-- One of the major fashion developments after World War I was a marked increase in the popularity of casual clothes. This was especially true for children's clothes. An interesting example here is what Sears called a Khaki Jean Summer Suit. It was a play suit made in sizes from 5 to 14 years (Sears, Spring-Summer, 1923).

One of the major fashion developments after World War I was a marked increase in the popularity of casual clothes. This was especially true for children's clothes. An interesting example here is what Sears called a Khaki Jean Summer Suit. It was a play suit made in sizes from 5 to 14 years (Sears, Spring-Summer, 1923). This is notable because in the 1920s most boys older than 12 wore knickers, not shorts. Here a exception was commonly made for camp. We see for example, Boy Scouts wearing shorts at camp, even though the standard uniform was knickers. The other unusual feature is that even though this is a hot-weather suit (recommended for vacations, summer camps, and general relaxed wear), it is shown with black long stockings--not very cool. Here we see the implied conflict between clothes designed to be informal and comfortable and yet that seem to require traditional black long stockings.

Casual Clohes

One of the major fashion developments after World War I was a marked increase in the popularity of casual clothes. This was especially true for children's clothes.

Sears

The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1895 bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.

Summer Suit

An interesting example here is what Sears called a Khaki Jean Summer Suit. It was a play suit made in sizes from 5 to 14 years (Sears, Spring-Summer, 1923). This is notable because in the 1920s most boys older than 12 wore knickers, not shorts. Here a exception was commonly made for camp. We see for example, Boy Scouts wearing shorts at camp, even though the standard uniform was knickers.

Summer Camps

Summer camp is a long established ritual for American boys which has roots in the late 19th century. It is a tradition that has now spread to many other countries. It is noted in lesser annals of the American national saga that organized camping for children began just a mite over a century ago, in 1861. Founding father and spiritual leader of summer camping was one Frederick W. Gunn. The two most important groups involved in American camping have been the Scoutsm both Boys and Girl Scouts anf the YMCA/YWCA. The Camp Fire Girls, now Camp Fire were also important. Many private camps for affluent children appeared in the 1920s, some earlier. Many of these camps also had uniforms, often short pants. For some boys, the only shorts they wore were their simmer camp shorts. Many other camps did not have uniforms, but boys often wore shorts. Many camps in 1920s through 50s had camp uniforms that all the boys wore. These were often the expensive fee-paying camps for children from affluent families.

Long Stockings

The other unusual feature is that even though this is a hot-weather suit (recommended for vacations, summer camps, and general relaxed wear), it is shown with black long stockings--not very cool. Even though this is a hot-weather suit, which is why it is designed with knee short pants with open legs rather than knickers that fasten tightly around the knees, it is shown being worn with black long stockings. Knee socks were still not generally worn for play, even in the hottest weather. Black long stockings were considered proper for boys from 5 to 14. Here we see the implied conflict between clothes designed to be informal and comfortable and yet that seem to require traditional black long stockings. We think what is happening here is that is often the case in these catalogs, the accompanying items added to the illustration, but not actually for sale were less accurate that the item being sold. The illustrators have probably added the long stockings because that was what boys common wore in the 1910s. Probably the illustrator did not have boys actually going to summer camp in the 1920s. We are not sure if the illustrators drawing for these catalogs were given instructions about the accompanying clothing or just winged this part of the illustration.

Summer Suit

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Created: 9:44 PM 8/1/2007
Last updated: 9:44 PM 8/1/2007