A Rough Guide to Infant’s Clothing, 1902-1986
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A Rough Guide to Infant’s Clothing, 1902-1986
This guide is based on catalog descriptions of infants’ layettes offered by Sears, Roebuck and Company. It summarizes and describes the items found in the basic, mid-range layette (as opposed to the economy or deluxe layettes) and does not include information on items usually sold individually. Pre-packaged layettes were designed to offer the purchaser a “starter supply” of those items considered essential for newborns. They seldom included novelties or outmoded items, although those may have been available elsewhere in the catalog for individual purchase. Layettes were intended to be purchased prior to the child’s arrival, though it is impossible to say what proportion of customers ordered them for newly-arrived babies. Still, it can be assumed that the styles offered were considered appropriate for both boys and girls.
Definitions of basic items:
dress (also robe):
outer garment with long or short sleeves, usually drawn on over the head.
slip:
sleeved garment worn beneath a dress, also worn alone in hot weather. Early examples have long sleeves, and are hard to distinguish from dresses except that slips were usually plainer.
skirt (also petticoat, underskirt):
sleeveless undergarment, either a bodice with a gathered skirt or cut in one piece and falling straight from the shoulders (the latter was called “Gertrude” style).
barrow coat (also barrior coat, pinning blanket, underskirt or waist):
wide waist band with a gathered skirt attached.
wrapper (also kimono):
long-sleeved full-length outer garment opening completely down the front. Usually flannel or flannelette.
sleeping bag (also bag-style nightgown, drawstring gown):
long-sleeved sleeping garment pulled on over the head, with drawstring closure at hem to enclose the feet.
abdominal bands (also binders, belly bands):
Early examples resemble pull-on rib-knit undershirts with two-piece shoulder straps that were overlapped and pinned together. After 1910, bands were just long strips of flannel or knit fabrics.
sacque:
knitted or crocheted loose-fitting long-sleeved, short outer garment opening completely down the front. (occasionally also shown in flannel or flannelette).
Descriptive summary of main features:
color:
Before 1910, all garments in the layettes were white. Between 1910 and 1951, layettes were available in white with a choice of pink or blue trim. The choice of yellow trim was added in 1952. From 1967-1986, layettes were available in yellow, green or multicolor.
dress length:
Dresses were included in the basic layettes until 1945, and in deluxe layettes until 1959. The average length of a newborn infant is 20 inches.
1902-1917 27”
1917-1919 choice of 24” (“semi-long”) or 27”
1920-1927 24”
1928-1931 choice of 20” (“short”) or 24” (“long”)
1932-1945 20”
dress fabric:
1902-1911 cambric
1912-1913 nainsook
1914 muslin
1915-1921 nainsook
1922-1928 nainsook and lawn*
1929-1930 nainsook
1931 nainsook and batiste*
1932-1945 batiste
*The layettes from 1922-1928 and 1931 included dresses in two different fabrics.
Other observations:
dresses with yokes were more common after 1928
no synthetic fabrics were used until 1962 (nylon)
wool was used for sacques, bootees, stockings and binders until 1941
polyester was not used until 1977
Suggested layettes and changes for baby’s first year, 1852-1920
(based on mothers’ manuals or articles in magazines).
1852
abdominal binders (closed with attached ties or straight pins, worn several months)
undershirts (cut and sewn flannel or knit from silk and/or wool)
dresses (36” to 54” long)
barrow coat or pinning blanket
underskirts (sleeveless bodice with attached skirt)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (linen or cotton toweling)
Dresses, skirts and slips should be shortened when baby begins to creep.
1886
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn several months)
undershirts (knit wool or cotton/wool)
dresses (36” to 54” long)
barrow coat or pinning blanket (optional)
underskirts (sleeveless bodice with attached skirt)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
Dresses, skirts and slips should be shortened when baby begins to creep.
1896
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
undershirts (knit wool or cotton/wool)
dresses (30” long)
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creeping aprons (later called “creepers”) can be worn over short dresses at about 6 months. (unisex)
1910
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
dresses (25” long)
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creepers can be worn instead of dresses at 6 months. (unisex)
1920
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
dresses (22” long) or slips but not both at once
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creepers could be worn instead of dresses as early as the parents liked; available in unsex, boys’ and girls’ styles.
This guide is based on catalog descriptions of infants’ layettes offered by Sears, Roebuck and Company. It summarizes and describes the items found in the basic, mid-range layette (as opposed to the economy or deluxe layettes) and does not include information on items usually sold individually. Pre-packaged layettes were designed to offer the purchaser a “starter supply” of those items considered essential for newborns. They seldom included novelties or outmoded items, although those may have been available elsewhere in the catalog for individual purchase. Layettes were intended to be purchased prior to the child’s arrival, though it is impossible to say what proportion of customers ordered them for newly-arrived babies. Still, it can be assumed that the styles offered were considered appropriate for both boys and girls.
Definitions of basic items:
dress (also robe):
outer garment with long or short sleeves, usually drawn on over the head.
slip:
sleeved garment worn beneath a dress, also worn alone in hot weather. Early examples have long sleeves, and are hard to distinguish from dresses except that slips were usually plainer.
skirt (also petticoat, underskirt):
sleeveless undergarment, either a bodice with a gathered skirt or cut in one piece and falling straight from the shoulders (the latter was called “Gertrude” style).
barrow coat (also barrior coat, pinning blanket, underskirt or waist):
wide waist band with a gathered skirt attached.
wrapper (also kimono):
long-sleeved full-length outer garment opening completely down the front. Usually flannel or flannelette.
sleeping bag (also bag-style nightgown, drawstring gown):
long-sleeved sleeping garment pulled on over the head, with drawstring closure at hem to enclose the feet.
abdominal bands (also binders, belly bands):
Early examples resemble pull-on rib-knit undershirts with two-piece shoulder straps that were overlapped and pinned together. After 1910, bands were just long strips of flannel or knit fabrics.
sacque:
knitted or crocheted loose-fitting long-sleeved, short outer garment opening completely down the front. (occasionally also shown in flannel or flannelette).
Descriptive summary of main features:
color:
Before 1910, all garments in the layettes were white. Between 1910 and 1951, layettes were available in white with a choice of pink or blue trim. The choice of yellow trim was added in 1952. From 1967-1986, layettes were available in yellow, green or multicolor.
dress length:
Dresses were included in the basic layettes until 1945, and in deluxe layettes until 1959. The average length of a newborn infant is 20 inches.
1902-1917 27”
1917-1919 choice of 24” (“semi-long”) or 27”
1920-1927 24”
1928-1931 choice of 20” (“short”) or 24” (“long”)
1932-1945 20”
dress fabric:
1902-1911 cambric
1912-1913 nainsook
1914 muslin
1915-1921 nainsook
1922-1928 nainsook and lawn*
1929-1930 nainsook
1931 nainsook and batiste*
1932-1945 batiste
*The layettes from 1922-1928 and 1931 included dresses in two different fabrics.
Other observations:
dresses with yokes were more common after 1928
no synthetic fabrics were used until 1962 (nylon)
wool was used for sacques, bootees, stockings and binders until 1941
polyester was not used until 1977
Suggested layettes and changes for baby’s first year, 1852-1920
(based on mothers’ manuals or articles in magazines).
1852
abdominal binders (closed with attached ties or straight pins, worn several months)
undershirts (cut and sewn flannel or knit from silk and/or wool)
dresses (36” to 54” long)
barrow coat or pinning blanket
underskirts (sleeveless bodice with attached skirt)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (linen or cotton toweling)
Dresses, skirts and slips should be shortened when baby begins to creep.
1886
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn several months)
undershirts (knit wool or cotton/wool)
dresses (36” to 54” long)
barrow coat or pinning blanket (optional)
underskirts (sleeveless bodice with attached skirt)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
Dresses, skirts and slips should be shortened when baby begins to creep.
1896
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
undershirts (knit wool or cotton/wool)
dresses (30” long)
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creeping aprons (later called “creepers”) can be worn over short dresses at about 6 months. (unisex)
1910
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
dresses (25” long)
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
slips (similar to dresses, but with less ornamentation)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creepers can be worn instead of dresses at 6 months. (unisex)
1920
abdominal binders (closed with safety pins, worn 2-3 weeks)
dresses (22” long) or slips but not both at once
underskirts (sleeveless, no waistline seam)
diapers (cotton birdseye or gauze)
waterproof diaper covers
Creepers could be worn instead of dresses as early as the parents liked; available in unsex, boys’ and girls’ styles.