Figure 1.--Here we see a boy with his little sister. He is wearing a sailor-style shorts set. She wears a pert dress with baloon sleeves. The children look to be about 4-7 years old. The sailor outfit has self-belted button on shorts. Notice how thewite buttons from the blouse peak out under the top of the belt. In this case the boy's outfit could be worn for both play and casual dess up occasions. The portrai is undated, but looks like the 1930s or early-40s.

After World War I it became increasingly more common to see play clothes. This induced short sets. We see them in catalogs as well as children wearing them in family snapshots. We see both semi-dressy and casual styles. The dressy shorts were often done in a heavier material. The play shorts were mostly cotton, wash shorts. This sort of merged for younger children. There were different types of sets including color coordination, uniform , and sailor sets. The sailor short set the boy is wearing could be worn for both dressy occasion like church or for play. The blouse/shirt was usually a collared style. T-shirts and play shorts were usually sold separately. Short pants were often sold in sets, meaning that the blouse/shirt top had to be made to button on to the shorts. If you bought them separately the buttons might or might not fit just where the button holes were. The buttons were often covered up with a self belt. Casual shorts were readily available in the 1930s. And some of the play suits, especially the sailor styles might do for many occasions which formerly required more formal dress. For small boys short sleeve shirt and short pants sold as sets that looked coordinated were popular. This included button-on shorts and self-belted shorts. The self-belted shorts were at first mostly button-on shorts. A good example is a McCalls one-piece and two-piece shorts set in 1930. We have also archived short sets offered in various catalogs during the 1920-40s. Beginning in the 1940s we begin to see shorts sets that were not button-on shorts. An example is Sears money savers in 1941. By the end of the decade the button-on sets are no longer very common. The sets were often sold in sizes from about 4-10 years of age. They were a boys styles. When popular, girls still mostly wore dresses. There were often long pants sets, but the ones done with shott pants were by far the most common.

Chronology

After World War I it became increasingly more common to see play clothes (1920s). This induced short sets. We see them in catalogs as well as children wearing them in family snapshots. Casual shorts were readily available in the 1930s. We have also archived short sets offered in various catalogs during the 1920-40s. Beginning in the 1940s we begin to see shorts sets that were not button-on shorts. An example is Sears money savers in 1941. By the end of the decade the button-on sets are no longer very common.

Types

We see both semi-dressy and casual types. The dressy shorts were often done in a heavier material. The play shorts were mostly cotton, wash shorts. This sort of merged for younger children. And some of the play suits, especially the sailor styles might do for many occasions which formerly required more formal dress. For small boys short sleeve shirt and short pants sold as sets that looked coordinated were popular. This included button-on shorts and self-belted shorts. Short sets were commonly button-on. Button-on shoirts had to be sold as sets. Only done as serts could the buttonson the blouse/shirt fit into the button holes on the pants. The self-belted shorts were at first mostly button-on shorts. A good example is a McCalls one-piece and two-piece shorts set in 1930.

Styles

There were different styles of sets including 1) color coordination, 2) uniform , and 3) sailor sets. The sailor short set the boy is wearing could be worn for both dressy occasions like church or for play. Sailor suits declined signifcantly after Wor War I(1920s), but we see younger boys still wearing them. And these short sets were one of the major styles (figure 1). The blouse/shirt was usually a collared blouse/shirt. T-shirts and play shorts were usually sold separately. These sets were a popular style of collared shirts for younger boys.

Construction

Short pants were often sold in sets, meaning that the blouse/shirt top had to be made to button on to the shorts. If you bought them separately the buttons might or might not fit just where the button holes were. The buttons were often covered up with a self belt. These self-belts werevnot to hold up the pants. The buttons on the blouse/shorts held up the shorts. The self-belts had no real utility, only for some reason to hide the buttons. We are not sure why his was important.

Ages

The sets were often sold in sizes from about 4-10 years of age.

Gender

They were a boys styles. When popular, girls still mostly wore dresses.

Pants

There were often long pants sets, but the ones done with shott pants were by far the most common. They were never dome with knickers.

Created: 9:15 PM 11/13/2013
Last updated: 3:39 AM 1/12/2025