I'm always interested in historical fiction and non-fiction books and still wondered if the myth that (farm) boys (and girls) don't wear underwear (in summer) is true and a rule or just some exceptions. I had that subject before, also mentioning in some movies and also part of my recent book and story entries like the overalls smell in one-room schoolhouses. I think that all changed after the war and in the 1950s as farm work also changed like everything.
First I found the following book by coincidence during research for something else.
"Family Expenditures for Clothing: Five Regions" by Day Monroe (1941) published by the Departement of Agriculture.
This is a study with lots of data and tables for expenditures depending on the income. Mainly rural regions of the 1930s. Richer kids and city kids might differ.
First a little boy (I think at 7 yo) is proud of getting his first (real, non-toddler) overalls to match his working dad. On page 79 there are also girl described getting overalls but just little girls. Girls usually got underwear, petticoats and the like but they usually don't wore overalls.
Most mothers bought 2 pair of bibs for boys, one is for school only. But I guess that many wore the same pair for school and chores. Underwear expenditures were around $ 1.60 - 2.40 a year including 2 union suits (for winter), shirts and nightwear. (Nightwear is a another question and also depending on temperatures). Bibs, pants and suits were around $8-9.
Page 46: Overalls were replaced every 5 months instead of twice a year.
Page 56: Most little boys didn't wear underwear in summer and were barefooted.
"Tales of a One-Room Country School" by David L. Perkins
Overalls after being outlived at school were worn for chores. His mother bought 3 pair in August for $ 0,49 each. He also talked about today's prices.
"Living By Faith" by Judith Combs Puckett.
A 10 or 11 yo boy had wet overalls after fishing and they fell down in front of girls. He didn't wear underwear.
"Ben Rod Jordan of Putnam Country" by Keith Honaker.
I already mentioned that in Info 51. The parents ordered overalls and shoes by catalogue. They wore them if they fit or not. Again 2 pair of underwear (for winter) on non since spring. There's also a skinny dipping scene.
"From Can See to Can't: Texas Cotton Farmers on the Southern Prairies" by Thad Sitton and Dan K. Utley.
A mother made the clothes for her boy by herself (like from feed sacks) and he didn't had bought underwear until he was grown.
/2011/06/19/info-52-historic-books-underwear-p2-girl-milking/
/2011/06/18/info-51-historic-books-underwear-underneath/
/2014/11/15/story-82-one-room-schoolhouse/
/2014/11/12/book-39-ouida-sebestyen-far-from-home/
/2018/09/05/story-150-long-johns-union-suit-our-gang-sears/
/2019/06/05/story-156-bathing-costumes/
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