Figure 1.-- A reader has sent us an item on overcoats for youngr boys wuth matching peaked cap and leggings from the 1967 Best Departmnt store winter catalog. The Best Department Store was an upper end department store for affluent, but not neceasily rich families. .

A reader has sent us an item on overcoats for youngr boys wuth matching peaked cap and leggings from the 1967 Best Departmnt store winter catalog. Note the peaked cap had ear flap and a chin strap. Also notice the velvet collar and what looks like lether covering, at least on the herring bone lggings. The Best & Co. Department Store was an upper end department store for affluent, but not neceasily rich families. The ad copy read, 3 pc coat, leggings and hat set in herringbone tweed wool. Leggings have leather shoe strap. Blue heather 3-6, (P-36-14) 35.00. Our exclusive 3 pc wool abd camel hair coat, legging. Eton hat. Camel color in 3-6x (P-36-15) 37.00. In T-2, 3, 4, (P-36-16) 38.00 (not shown). Navy wool 3 pc. regulation coat set, 3-6x, (P-36-17) 35.00. T-2, 3, 4 (P-36-18) 34.00." We were a little surprised by the date. This would have been a tyle for affluent families at the time. Our reader writes, "The year for the catalog was 1967. I recall wearing winter outfits like this around 1960-61. It was the style to wear this sort of outfit which I had (one year camel another bluish gray tweed). By 2nd grade I know I did not wear this but I think I did through 1st grade. I remember still seeing children from either very conservative families or higher society families still wearing those types of clothes until around 1970 but not very often by then." These outfits probably would have been worn with short pants suits, probably junior Eton suits. Our reader writes, "I think you are right. I remember the interior of the leggings had a flannel like lining that felt good on my legs which could only mean that I wore them with short pants. I remember those types of outfits. I thought the elastic straps that went over the legs were neat but sometimes as the leggings were older they would stretch out of shape and get loose and when they were brand new they were sometimes difficult for me to pull over my the toe of my shoes. I remember once my mother then showed me they could be pulled over the heal which was easier. LOL. It never dawned on me to do that. I also had snow pants with elastics that went over the foot. I remember I wore long pants under them and the elastics went over my socks and then boots were worn over them. At some point I wore something with just knit cuffs but I do not remember when my mother switched. But I do remember wearing long underwear which I wore over my briefs to keep my legs warm on very cold days when I was 5 or 6 and we had that very hard winter with lots of snow around 1960-61. After that I probably only wore the waffle weave long drawers when skiing. And then I was a teenager."

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Created: 4:20 AM 10/26/2004
Last updated: 4:21 AM 10/26/2004