This boys wears a fancy knitted suit with unusual double breasted button styling. I believe this is an American boy, but cannot be positive. |
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Other knit suits were made for older boys. They were not suits in the sence of formal suits, but only in the sence of having the shirts and pants, almost always short pants, of matching materials and colors.
Knit suits are generally made for younger boys. Most are made for boys
before school age, but some knit suits were made for boys as old as 7 or even
8 years, but rarely older.
The styling of knit suits is often quite simple. This is in part because
many skilled mothers could do their own knitting. This was especially
true in the years before World War II when it was less common for
mothers to work outside the home. Knits suits were, however, somewhat
complicated to make. Many were purchased. The suits bought in stores
could be somewhat more complicated, even with elaborate styling.
Shirts were made with both short and long sleeves.
The knit suit consists of a shirt and pants. The long sleeve style is more common.
The shirt was usually made to be worn without another shirt underneath. A
few suit shirts, however, were sometimes made to be worn with another
shirt, much like a sweater.
The pants for knits suits are primarily short pants, especially in Britain and
America. The style is generally shorter shorts. Knit suits have become less popular
in the 1990s as the longer styled shorts appeared. Long pants knit
suits also exist and are particularly popular in the Scandinavian
countries.
Knit suits for babied existed in the late 19th Century. The style
did not begin to become poular for older children, until the 1910s,
especially after World War I (1914-18). Knitted suits were
extensively worn in the 1920s and the style remained popular until
the 1950s, ven by some younger school age boys. Beginning in the
1960s it became less common for school age boys to wear them. By the
1970s knitted suits were still made, but only for very young children.
The chronological pattern varies somewhat by country. Knitted
suits did not become popular in Japan, for example, until the
1950s. They continued to be worn by younger school age boys
through the 1970s, but began to decline in popularity in the 1980s,
except for very young children.
I know that kitted suits were worn in America and Britain, probably
more so in Britain. There were also popular in Japan. They appear to have also been especially popular in several European countries. other European countries like the France, Netherlands and Germany. I believe they were also popular in
Scandanavia, perhaps Poland, the Baltics, and Russia as well, but HBC have few details at this time.
The colors employed in knot suits has been primarily pastels. White has also been popular. Brighter colors are often most used for the suits worn by younger children while the older boys seem to prefer more muted colors.
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