Figure 1.--This unidentified French 3-year old is wearing a classic one-piece romper suit in 1949. This looks like a dressy suit to us. Note the ruffles around the collar (figure 1). We are not sure about the color, but light-blue seems likely.

Given the age of most of the children wearing rompers, the children, mostly had no real opinion about their clothes. Boys in particular were not interested in fashion. We think that rompers were mostly a garment for boys about 2-5 years of age. We have found several photographs of boys wearing romper suits in the photographic record and during the 1940s almost all seem to fall in his 2-5 year old group. Rompers might be worn by younger school-age children in the 1940s, but not to school. And while we see children in Matrenelle wearing rompers, we do not see boys wearing them in primary classes. The photographic record suggests that rompers were not commonly worn by school age boys, meaning boys about 6 years old and above. . Children as old as 7 years might wear rompers for special occassions. We think these were mostly dress outfits rather than play outfits. An exception here may be beachwear sun suits. References to children this old come from fashion magazine patterns.

2 Year Olds

Given the age of most of the children wearing rompers, the children, mostly had no real opinion about their clothes. Younger boys in particular were not interested in fashion. We think that rompers were mostly a garment for boys about 2-5 years of age. We have found several photographs of boys wearing romper suits in the photographic record and duruing the 1940s almost all seem to fall in his 2-5 year old group.

3 Year Olds

French boys at age 3 commonly wore romper suits during the 1940s. The unidentified boy heere looks like he is wearing aressy romper suit to us. Note the ruffles around the collar (figure 1). This looks like a dress suit to us. We are not sure about the color, but light-blue seems likely.

4 Year Olds

We also see French boys commonly wearing rompers at age 4 years. This is very common in the photographic record. And we age 4 was aklnmost always within the age range menttioned in catalog offerings. We notice both dressy and play suits and a variety of styles with both defined and undefined waistlines. We have an example of a boy named Henri who was 4 1/2 years old (September 1943). He wears rather a plain romper suit with a Peter Pan collar, baloon sleeves, and an undefined waist. As it is so plain, we believe it would be called play suit. Henri wears mall locket with it. We do not know where in France the family lived, but rompers were a very popular style worn throughout the country.

5 Year Olds

Many French boys also wore romper suits at age 5 years, perhaps not as many as the 2-4 year old group, but we still quite a number of boys in the photographic record. It is the last age that we see really largenumber of boys wearing rompers. This is because most boys did not wear rompers when they began school, We see many boys still wearing rompers as play garments at age 5. There are quite a few snapshots showing this. We see a few boys wearing rompers to 1st grade, but not very many. Nursery school was different. Some children attended maternelle (nursery school) in the 1940s, although it does not seem nearly as common as it became later in the post-War era. The maternelles were often attached to primary schools, but the programs were kept separate. We do see some of the maternelle children wearing rompers. We see fifferent sty;es, especiially romper suits anf h-bar rompers. White seems a very common color. It is a little difficult to tell from black and white photographs as light blue was also a common color.

6 Year Olds

French children began primary school at 6 years of age. Of course once children began school, their attitudes toward fashion and clothing began to change. this began to change. Rompers might be worn by younger school-age children in the 1940s, but not to school. And while we see children in Matrenelle wearing rompers, we do not see boys wearing them in primary classes. The photographic record suggests that rompers were not commonly worn by school age boys, meaning boys about 6 years old and above. Many primary boys did wear smocks. This was quite common for the 6 year olds.

7 Years Olds

Children as old as 7 years might wear rompers for special occassions. We think these were mostly dress outfits rather than play outfits. An exception here may be beachwear sun suits. References to children this old come from fashion magazine patterns which are not always the best indicator of popular trends. .