Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-14
And Now We
Are Sewing for
Our Little BOYS

commodity has gone up" and then
that that one has increased ten or fif-
teen or twenty-five per cent in price.
Ice and alcohol. butter and eggs. rail-
road fares and the daily papers-they
all take the same squirt. And now
that September is approaching and lit
tie boys and girls will be focking back
TO the school rooms. you may discover,
II you have a little son. that boys
clothes have advanced In an amazing
manner-for some reason. rather more
than little girls dresses.
A very nice way around this difficulty
is 70 make some OF the little boys
clothes yourself. This sort Of solu-
tion. of course. presupposes that the
mother has the resourcefulness and
versitality of n Mrs Robinson Crusoe.
and that she has lrnitless faculty for
stretching out the working hours of
the day. But really the seams in little
boys clothes are very short, and the
work under nimble fingers progresses
with lightning rapidity
One thing to remember in making
little boys clothes: Don't attempt any
thing odd or unusual for his school
clothes. II YOU want 70 fix him up
like little boy from a Gainsborough
painting, do il when he is home, not
when he has 10 go 70 school and meet
the taUntS and eXclamations Of other
little boys. No one who has not been
taken into the confidence of n little
boy knows what embarrass and
modification he endures when he Is
dressed SO as 10 look different from
'the other boys
The best way to begin Is 10 get a
pattern catalogue and go over the pat
terms with the boy himself Get him
n tell you which OF the suits appeal
20 him which are like what the other
Buys wear. Then you will not be half
30 likely TO have him conceive a pre-
judice TO the home made clothes after
they are made.
And just because Of the war and the
wool shortage. don't think you have to
use UP odd bits Of wooden goods in
making the little boys clothes. That
Iight-gray broadcloth evening cape
you have on hand contains excellent
material, and ii would no doubt make
a serviceable suit for the little boy;
but that little boy would far rather
have a suit made of very inferior fab
ric, providing II was not odd or con-
spicuous. II you are making the clothes
yourself. however, il does pay to get
very good material, and when you real
ize how little II takes IN comparison
TO your own clothes, you will not mind
paving the price.
Remember, too that though your 1T
tie boy. you are sure, cares nothing for
clothes. there is nothing that q boy dis
likes so much as being different"
There vas once a country minister's
son whose life was embi.tered and
school days made source Of constant
modification for two whole winters
r1o 70.
him a hat tina. was not what other
boys were wearing. but exactly what
as the dominic thought would look
most dignified on the head of min
listers son. The boy endured the hat
In nute patience because he somehow
felt that his fathers position depended
in a measure on his wearing this SOM
Der and odd headgear, and IL was not
till years afterward that he happened
TO mention this incident of his youth.
You may be sure that this mans sons
were always consulted about their own
clothes. and even the desire of their
mother to make them look pictures
que when they were little fellows did
not win the day.
So IN every little accessory have er
eye. Sometimes the woman who makes
little boys clothes at home will put
have come off from an old coat Of her
own, little knowing that so small an
accessory will be noticed and com
mented on If it looks grille" For a
very few cents regular boy buttons can
be bought.
But just because you should consult
your little boys taste, do not let him
persuade you to deck him forth in
clothes that are far too old for him.
Sometimes boys feel that if they wear
big-boy clothes they will gain the re-
opect Of boys their own age, who will
treat them like big boys" The result.
OF course. is 10 make them look badly
dressed and understood Little boys
IT certain age always long 70 wear
collars and neckties like their fathers
The mother who INDUCES this whim is
going too far in the direction of pleas
ing the boy. There Is always a stand
ard, middle ground, where you can
secure satisfaction for the boy and
good taste. even if you do not secure
what TO you is a very picturesque
effect.
Most boys like corduroy. And this
year, when wool is expensive. there is
no better selection for their every day
trousers than a splendid quality OF
are amazing. Consult the boy himself
as TO whether the garment should be
made on the knickerbocker style or
plain and straight With very little
care you can produce a garment that
will be quite as well tailored in appear
ance as those you buy, and infinitely
better as 70 wearing quality.
With these corduroy trousers the
smaliish boy can wear a washable col
ored blouse shirt. either with or with
out a necktie. If a necktie is worn il
IL best to have it a dark Windsor tie,
preferably black or navy blue Some
times g small neat leather belt is worn
with the trousers to keep them in
place, and this appeals TO the boy as
being grown up and does not look in
bad taste
Don't yield 20 the temptation to dress
your boy In a fake military or sailor
Uniform. The pattern books show
tempting patterns for such clothes,
and mothers are as easily tempted to
make them as the boy is eager TO wear
them. At best. they are suitable only
Sor play clothes, and though the other
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