Figure 1.--The Sears Spring and Summer catalog also offered many knickers both as individual pants and as suits. There was one short pants and a few long pants suits offered, but most of the suits were knicker suits. Both had single-breasted two button jackets.

On the page with the short pants suit, Sears also offered two knickers suit for the same age group, beginning at age 4. Younger children would normally wear a variety of juvile outfits including rompers and bib-front suits. The jackes were both single-breasted with two buttons. One of the knickers suits was washable. The small number of suits offered for this age group suggest that it had become increasingly common to dress younger boys in casual 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. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) 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.

Chronology

These suits were offered in the 1930 Sears catalog (Spring and Summer), p. 286.

Garments

Sears offered one short pants suits in the Spring-Summer catalog and two knicker suits. Both had single-breasted two button jackets. This suggests that even for younger boys, knickers were more common than short pants. This may have been different for more affluent families that did not shop at Sears. The knicker suits were for boys 4-9 years old. Younger children would normally wear a variety of juvile outfits including rompers and bib-front suits. One of the knickers suits was washable. Sears offered several knickers suits for older boys and a few long pants suits as well. It is interesting that only three suits (one short panrs suits and two knicke suits) were offered for younger children. This is an indication of the increasingly popular convention of dressing younger boys in casual styles. Sears' focus on knickers appers to reflect that most boys wore knickers and that short pants were seen as primarily suitable for boys yonger 8-9 years of age. Some readers have asked how reflective catalogs are of actual trends. While there are no perfect sources, we believe that major catalogs in America such as Sears and ards were a relatively reflection of actual conventions. We are less sure about European catalogs where mail order sales were less common. It is interesting that Sears obly offered three suits for younger boys. This appears to reflect the trend to dress younger boys with increasingly cassual clothes.

Ad Copy

Here is the ad copy for the younger boys knicker suits.

Handsome Suit

The ad copy read, " A handsome long wearing suit of all wool and silk gray novelty weave cassimere with Rayon decorations. The coat is an attractive two-button single breasted model, as illustrated, and fully lined with durable fancy lining. Golf knickers are full lined and have buckle bottoms and usual pockets. SIZES--4 to 9 years. State age size. 40 V 3306--Gray All Wool and Silk Cassimere Suit. Postpaid $4.35. 40 V 3310--Same Suit With Extra Golf Knickers. Postpaid $5.85."

Washable cloth

The ad copy read, "A marvelously low priced suit that will keep the boy cool and comfortable in trying warm weather. He will like the style of this garment--it is quite mannish in cut. Mother will appreciate the fact that the material is easy to wash and launder. Made of blue-gray cotton crash suiting with contrasting stripes. Both the coat and the knickers are unlined. The coat is two-button style with three patch pockets. A very attractive value. SIZES 5 to 10 years. State age size. 40 V 3327--Washable Cotton Crash Suit. Postpaid $1.98." Note sears stresses the manish cut. Also note the claim that the boy will be "cool and comfortable" which, rather a streach considering the boy is weating a jacket with knickers and probably long stockings.

More Younger Boys Knicker Suits

Here with the shorts sets are two knicker suits, items U and V. I'm not sure why Sears placed them here, I assume just because the age range was similar. Sears also put knicker suits for younger boys with with the short pants suits. They are all quite similar. The two suits here were done in sizes 4/5-9 years. The placement of knickers suits here rsather than short pants suits suggests that knickers suits were chosen by mothers more than short pants suits, even for the younger boys.

Short Pants Suit

Sears offered one short pants suits in the Spring-Summer catalog. It was for a boy from 4-9 years of age. On the page a knickers suits were also offered for this age group. There were many other knickers suits offered in large sizes. The rest of the page was devoted to invidiual pairs of shorts, some called "English shorts" and a button-on short for boys up to 10 years. It is interesting that only three suits were offered for younger children. This is an indication of the increasingly popular convention of dressing younger boys in casual styles.

Social Class Conventions

We believe that short pants suits were somewhat more common in Americ than suggested by te Sears catlog. This is because the Sears catalog primarily appealed to rural, middle-class, and bargain concious consumers. Affluent Americans especially those in the upper-middle class and upper class would not normally buy from sears. Especially for a suit, they woukld go to a men's wear store. We believe that such families were more likely to buy short pants suits than the average American family.

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Created: March 4, 2004
Last updated: March 4, 2004