Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1915 — Good Designs in Small Boys’ Clothes [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Good Designs in Small Boys’ Clothes

The little boy of five or thereabout spends his waking hours in suits made of heavy linen or cotton materials made up in light or dark colors, or in white. He is “dressed up” in white, but for play his suits are made of the various brown or blue shades or of striped brown and white or blue and white. Black belts of suede or patent leather, and black silk ties, look well with any of these. Plain and striped materials are combined in the same suit. The trousers, for example, are made of plain dark brown linen, and the blouse of brown and white stripe, with collar and cuffs of the plain linen. Or both blouse and trousers are made of a plain color, with striped collar and cuffs.

The suit shown in the picture is one of many good designs in small boys’ clothes, all of them made of washable fabrics. Besides these, the little lad may be fitted out with garments of dark blue serge and, for the most formal occasions, a suit of velvet is a little extravagance which excuses itself because it is so pleasing and refined. All the trousers in the wash suits are straight and plain and are either knee length or a little longer. Some of them button on to a short blouse or shirtwaist. Others are buttoned to an underwaist and in others they are sewn to the underwaist. In blouses the “middy” is a favorite.

It is long-walsted and opens at the front, where, like many others, it Is laced with a cord. A wide band at the bottom takes the place of a belt and is prettily finished with buttons set on at each side. This is a simple garment that slips over the head, and is very good style. Quite like the middy suit in appearance, there is a one-piece design with short trousers set on to a plain blouse with the waist a little lengthened. It opens at the throat with a lacing and has a belt made of the material that fastens at the front with a single button. It is supported by straps sewed to the blouse. This is made of a dark linen' with lighter collar and cuffs, and is furnished with a small handkerchief pocket. The youngster slips into it feet first and is well equipped for romping. There are good designs in short coats and Eton jackets to be worn over the short blouse, to which the trousers are buttoned. Besides these, there are the long Russian blouse suits, and in these the blouse reaches almost to the bottom of the pants. In these the belt is of patent leather or suede and is worn low. The opening is at the front and is fastened with buttons and buttonholes. Good-looking little coats of serge are much like the Russian blouse, but are open from neck to belt and fasten with buttons down the front.