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Bib-front longs were essentially the same as bib-front shorts, except the pants were long. Bib-front longs were especially popular in America for younger children. The bib-front style seemed much more common in America than suspender longs. In contrast suspender shorts seem more common than bib-front shorts, but here age was a factor. I'm not sure about the chronology. I begin to notice them commonly in the 1930s. I know that bib-front longs were very common in America during the 1940s and early 50s. I remember wearing them myself. I'm less sure about the extent to which they were worn in Europe. I notice fewer images of bib-front longs in Europe, but this may reflect our greater access to American images. Bib-front pants were a style for boys. Girls may have worn overalls for farm work, but in general bib-front overalls and other bib-front pants were worn by boys. After World War II we start to see girls wearing them. In Europe this seems to have begun first in Scandinavia. An examplke is a Swedish girl in 1953.
The origins of bib-front long pants for children were of course overalls. These pratical garments originated in the mid-19th century and gradually became the standard clothing for wirking-class Amerucans--especially in rural areas. Only in the early 20th century did bib-front pants begin to appear that were made specifically for children.
Bib-front longs were essentially the same as bib-front shorts, except the pants were long. The styling and conventions were essentially the same.
Bib-front longs were especially popular in America for younger children. The bib-front style seemed much more common in America than suspender longs. In contrast suspender shorts seem more common than bib-front shorts, but here age was a factor. We have noted bib-front longs in Europe. They seem to be a kind of fashionable casual style. We see French children wearing them in the 1990s and 2000s. We note a Swedish girl wearing bib-front longs in 1953. A Swedish reader wrires, "They used to be very popular among kids in Sweden from the 1970s and still are in fact. You could find them either as the jeans-type or as cords! In Sweden they are called Carpenterīs trousers."
I'm not sure about the chronology. I begin to notice them commonly in the 1930s. I know that bib-front longs were very common in America during the 1940s and early 50s. I remember wearing them myself. I'm less sure about the extent to which they were worn in Europe. I notice fewer images of bib-front longs in Europe, but this may reflect our greater access to American images. There was a revival of bibfront pants in the 1990s. Some older boys even younger teens woere them, but the older boys wore mostly denim overalls. Younger boys wore them in other materails such as corduroy and woth detailing suitable for the younger age groups. Bib-front pants and overalls in the 2000s are a lot less fashionable than they used to be. There are a lot fewer of them offered at the websites of European retailers than 5 years ago. And at US websites they aren't to be seen at all. They're only available in babies' sizes.
Bib-front pants were a style for boys. Girls may have worn overalls for farm work, but in general bib-front overalls and other bib-front pants were worn by boys. After World War II we start to see girls wearing them. In Europe this seems to have begun first in Scandinavia. An example is a Swedish girl in 1953. We note both boys and girls wearing them in America during the 2000s in America. We are less sure about Europe.
Early bib-front long pants were like overalls and had a utilitarian image for younger boys. They were a play outfit. They were not commonly worn to school as they were primarily worn by pre-school boys. The exception of course was bib-front overalls. They were very commonly worn to school by boys in rural America during the early 20th century. They generally disappeared aftyer World war II as boys in ruralmamerica began dressing like city boys. The character of bib-front pants changed in the late 20th century. They lost the exclusively utilitarian image and can now be found in even stylish shops selling children clothes. They are popular for both boys and girls in America. We are less sure about Europe, but do notice them in France.
