Figure 1.--The Best & Co. catalog in 1952 offered "Best's Choice Dress-Up Clothes--Cool, Carefully Tailored. The suits here are all single breasted with blazer-type patch pockets. There os one Eton suit without lapels for younger boys, also with blazer-style patch pockets. |
The Best & Co. catalog in 1952 offered "Best's Choice Dress-Up Clothes--Cool, Carefully Tailored. The suits here are all single breasted with blazer-type patch pockets. There os one Eton suit without lapels for younger boys, also with blazer-style patch pockets.
The Best & Company appaers to have been an important New York City department store that went natioanl. The built a large store at 645 5th Avenue at East 51st Street, NE Corner (Wing on 52nd Street). It was located in Midtown Manhattan. The building was replaced by the Olympic Tower of Aristotle Onassis. I am not sure when the comapny was founded, but it must have been in the mid-19th century. We note the company handling Little Lord Fauntleroy suits, probably in the 1890s. We note that the company was active in the 1950s and 60s. They varried an extensive line of fashionanle clothes. One fashion writer in 1957 noted that Kays Thompson, author of Eloise autographed at Best & Company in New York where various Eloise products were available. We know that Best & Company was a major U.S. department store chain, but have little information on the companyat this time.
This page of the Eton summer catalog offered four suits ans two sports jacket outfits in a variety of styles and sizes, all single breasted.
The Eton suit by the 1950s had become the standard for younger boys. The ad copy reads, "Eton suit in washable Palm Beach cloth. White, tan or navy. All sizes 4 to 9. $11.95. (not shown) Eton suit, navy jacket with whiteshort. 4 to 9. $11.95." Note that in the illustration that an Eton style collar is shown and it is worn with a tie. The boys wears ankle socks and saddle shoes. The saddle shoes became a particularly popular choice with the Eton suit, especially during the summer.
The ad copy reads, "Junior single breasted suit in washable Palm Beach cloth. Tan or navy. All sizes 6 to 12. $16.95. Prep suit (not shown), tan or navy. All sizes 13 to 18. $19.95." Note that the same style was seen as suitable for boys from 6-18 years.
The ad copy reads, "Checked junior longie suit, single breasted. Washable nylon a rayon in tan or blue. All sizes 6 to 12. $16.50. Prep suit (not shown), tan or blue checks. All sizes 13 to 20. $19.50." Note that the same style was seen as suitable for boys from 6-20 years. Note the two tone shoes in the illustration.
The ad copy reads, " Palm Beach sport jacket in linnen-like weave. Navy. All sizes 6 to 12. $11.95. All sizes 13 to 18 $16.95." A blue blazer or sports jacket was becoming a standard for an American boy.
The ad copy reads, "Slacks of Palm Beach cloth. Washable. White, brown, or gray. All sizes 6 to 112. $6.95. Prep sizes 25, 26, 27, 28 $8.95." Gray slacks with a blue blazer became a standard conservative fashion for American boys. Again note the two-toned shoes which were a late 1940s-early 1950s style.
The ad copy reads, "Rayon and nylon cord junior longie suit. Washable. Blue or brown. All sizes 6 to 12 $16.50. All sizes 13-20 $19.50." Proper cords (corduroy) are made out of cotton. I am not sure how satisfactory these synthetic cords proved. Again note the two-toned shoes.
The ad copy reads, "Cotton cord sport jacket. Blue or brown. All sizes 6 to 12. $9.50. All sizes 13 to 20. $13.50.
The ad copy reads, "Shorts of washable Palm Beach cloth. Navy, white or brown. All sizes 4 to 12.. $3.95." None of the other suits, except for the Eton suit, were shown with short pants. This above sports jacket was considered suitable for boys to wear with short pants during the summer. The illustration shows a younger boy, but the size range is up to 12 years.
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