Figure 1.--This French boy wears a one-pience romper suit. The image is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1950. Notice the front pleats, more common was front smocking. These romper suits were very popular in France, nostly for pre-school boys. French romper suits often had bows in the back, but I am not sure about this one. Click on the image to see the boy's brother,

A French reader writes, "This garçonnet has a typical French face. His hair style was very commun in the 1950s. It permitted his mother to do sometimes do a choupette for special occassions. I would guess that on Sunday his hair was done in a choupette. He had just the right shaped head for that! It is not sure he was a - petit garçon modèle - but he could well have been. HBC has very detailed and correct informationon the French romper! Your decriptions are quite correct. It is true that the rompers with emboiteries, smocking, were very popular. That is in part due to the fact that girls in school were taught emboiteries and smocking as a required subjct. Here the pleating is especially interested. This little boy wears a romper that was probably made by his mother or granmother because the pleats are symmetrical. My Parents who operated a clothing plant specialing in children's clothes make this style of romper, but always with with asymmetrical pleats for both the the top and the pants. The styles found in the magazines also almost described the asymmetrical pleats. Smocks were also made with asymmetrical pleats, but only for boys. Girls smocks were generally made with smocking or other decorations. Boys also had smocks with smocking, but girls never wore smocks with top pleats. That was one of the differences between boys and girls smocks."

Identity

This boy is unidentified. He looks to be about 4 years old, pehaps going on 5 years. He does not look very happy. Perhaps he does not like having his photograph taken. Perhaps he does not like his romper suit. A French reader writes, "This boy's familly seems happy. We can't have a real opinion on his attitude by the expression of a face on an image. Maybe 10 secondes before this little boy was laughing. I am sure that he is not disturbed because he is wearing a romper suit. At this time I can confirm, that we little boys in the 1940s and50s found these rompers quite normal. At the time people said to us, 'You look very elegant and smart.' We were very pleased ith the comments. On another image of him and his family one can notice his Granmdother taking his little hand. Without a doubt she loved him very much. It is not sure he was a - petit garçon modèle--but he could well have been. To be sure he was a petit garçon modèle; it would be necessery to see him during the week day; which look he had and what was his behavior. Perhaps he was learning to becom one.""

Country

A French reader tells us, "This garçonnet has a typical French face." We thought that the boy might be French, basically becuse of the style of the romper. There were at least two boys in the family and both boys had their photograph taken on the same day. As we have a portrait of his older brother, we are hopeful that we can confirm the nationality of this portrait. His olde brother is wearing a sailor suit. As the sailor cap has writing on the ally (band) we should be able to figure out the nationality.

Chronology

This portrait is undated. We would guess that it was taken about 1950.

Hair Style

His hair style was very commun in the 1950s. It permitted his mother to do sometimes do a choupette for special occassions. I would guess that on Sunday his hair was done in a choupette. He had just the right shaped head for that!

Romper Style

Our French reader writes, "HBC has very detailed and correct informationon the French romper! Your decriptions are quite correct. It is true that the rompers with emboiteries, smocking, were very popular. That is in part due to the fact that girls in school were taught emboiteries and smocking as a required subjct. Here the pleating is especially interested. This little boy wears a romper that was probably made by his mother or granmother because the pleats are symmetrical. My Parents who operated a clothing plant specialing in children's clothes make this style of romper, but always with with asymmetrical pleats for both the the top and the pants. The styles found in the magazines also almost described the asymmetrical pleats."

Romper Back

A HBC reader writes, "The blouse and pants do not have pleats in the back as they do at the front. They is a little boutonningn the back ; beginning in middle of the blouse till the neck--permitting the boy to step into his suit. They is also a crotch buttonning. The belt has a ordinary bow in the back. Most one piece romper suits had a belt that was very long in the back, permitting mother to do a large bow."

Color

We had thought this boy's romper suit might be a light blue. A French reader tells us that it was probably a white suit.

French Smocks

Our French reader adds, "Smocks were also made with asymmetrical pleats, but only for boys. Girls smocks were generally made with smocking or other decorations. Boys also had smocks with smocking, but girls never wore smocks with top pleats. That was one of the differences between boys and girls smocks."