Play Suits: Functions



Figure 1.--This boy wears a play suit clearly designbed for play without any dressy elements. HBC dates it at about 1915. Note the Peter Pan collar.

The early play suits look much dressier than we commonly view as suitable for play. Play suits were a substantial At the time play suits first appeared, formal dress was much more common than is the case today. Plainer more functional play suits became more common by the mid-1910s. Earlier younger boys would have worn dresses. Play suits were a real inovation for younger boys. Wheras most younger boys woukld have worn dresses a few years eralier, young boys by the 1910s were normally outfitted in play suits. At first they were formal dressy affairs. But soon more functional play suits were becoming increasinly prominent.









Christopher Wagner





Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Nain play suit]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Bibliographies] [Biographies] [Chronologies] [Contributions] [Countries] [Frequently Asked Questions] [Style Index]
[Main HBC page]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1890s] [The 1900s] [The 1910s] [The 1920s] [The 1930s] [The 1940s] [The 1950s]



Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Dresses] [Smocks] [Bodice kilts] [Kilts] [Sailor suits] [Sailor hats]
[Ring bearer/page costumes] [Shortalls]



Created: August 13, 2000, 1998
Last updated: August 13, 2000