American Mail Order and Advertisments for Boys Clothings: 1949


Figure 1.--This ad for Hanes striped "t"-shiets appeared in 'Life Magazine', May 23, 1949, p. 136. They were available in different colors and wide or narrow stripes. They were called basque shirts. Note that here Hanes was selling the T-shirts, not the short pants. Thus the ad is a very accurate indicatior for the shirts. It was less so for the shorts. American boys did wear shorts in 1949, but long pants like jeans weee much more commin for school asge boys.

We do not yet have much information on 1949. We notice stripped T-shirts were very popular for playwear. And some boys wore them to school. Retailers refer to them as basque shirts, a name that disappears in the 1950s. Jeans were a major item for boys, especially primary-age boys. Girls were not yet wearing them and teenage boys were often not allowed to wear them to school. Boys wore mostly ankle socks, often striped. Long stockings were no longer worn to any extent. We do note a Sears catalog adverisement for a garter waist to serve as a stocking supporter. This was the last time (1949-50) that garter waists for boys was offered in a Sears catalog that we know of. After this only girls' waists are shown--and even then not very prominently. We note Sears offereing brown/black and white saddle shoes in its 1949 catalogs.

Toddler Clothes


Shirts

We notice stripped T-shirts were very popular for playwear. They were done in many didderent colors and wide or narrow stripes. And some boys wore them to school. Retailers refered to them as basque shirts, a name that disappears in the 1950s. Here are striped 'T' shirts offered by Hanes in a Life Magazine ad (figure 1).

Coats


Suits


Pants

We no longer see knickers. Mmail order catalog whch now offered mostly long or short pants. Long pants were becoming increasingly common. Younger boys still wore short pants, especially in the summer. They were more common in the southern thasn the northern states. We notice various styles of casual clothes for boys including overalls and jeans. Jeans were a major item for boys, especially primary-age boys. Girls were not yet wearuing them and teenage boys were often not allowed to wear them to school.

Hosiery

Boys wore mostly ankle socks, often striped. Long stockings were no longer worn to any extent. We do note a Sears catalog adverisement for a garter waist to serve as a stocking supporter. This was the last time (1949-50) that garter waists for boys was offered in a Sears catalog that we know of. After this only girls' waists are shown--and even then not very prominently.

Underwear


Footwear

We note Sears offereing brown/black and white saddle shoes in its 1949 catalogs.






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Created: 12:13 AM 12/22/2010
Last updated: 12:13 AM 12/22/2010