Shopping Saturday: "Good Clothes for Sturdy Boys"

In the May 12, 1911 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal is an advertisement for boys' clothing from the Mayer Lebensburger Company, located on Market Street in downtown Sandusky. One item that was featured was a wash suit. The ad stated, "If the Little Fellow is going to spend the summer in the sand pile, give him two or three of our good Wash Suits- materials of Cheviot, madras, Ginghams, Galateas, Linens, etc. -Russian or Sailor styles, sizes 3 to 7 years.
!1.00, !1.25, $1.50 and $1.75
WASH? Just drop the Boy into the tub, clothes and all, and it won't hurt the clothes any more than it will the boy."

What a clever idea, to wash the clothing with the youngster still wearing it! These vintage ads give us an idea of what type of things our ancestors read in the paper. I wonder if my great grandfathers ever wore a "wash suit."