KnappFlannel said:
Bubble Leg Shortalls pt 1
This is my test piece for a 'boy' bubble leg style shortall. It's a variation between what's affectionally known here in the south as JonJons and a more traditional bubble romper. The body and straps are made with lightweight denim. The bib lining, functional pocket, and inseam gusset are print flannel, and the heavy duty metal snaps are reinforced with twill.
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NOTE : I have Classic Autism and ADHD.
Totally amazing!!
Yes, this is a cross-mix between a Jon Jon and a shortall. What area in the South do you live in? I'm from the West Coast, but want to move to the Carolinas, preferably South Carolina. I absolutely adore longalls and jon jons. Those things are so friggin adorable. I did not even know what a longall was until a mom from Northern Virginia from eBay introduced me to one in 2002. Longalls and jon jons are unknown here on the West Coast. Longalls and jon jons have full backs though. They almost look like a child is in a jumper, or it resembles a turtle shell virtually, like a romper.
Usually these outfits are more dressier and are more for wearing to church on Sundays and are also worn with peter pan collar shirts. Some preschoolers wear them as every day clothing even to daycare and nursery school. I know several moms who are my friends who dress their actual (chronological) age toddler boys, and I've seen in photos plenty of preschool age children even up to age 5 or 6 years old wearing them.
Jon jons and longalls often go well well with peter pan collar shirts, kneesocks, and T strap (similar to Mary Janes) buckle leather shoes. Like, awww.... Totally adorable in every way. Some boys wear the saddle shoes instead of the T strap shoes. I think T strap shoes are much more cuter though.
I never thought boys could even wear such shoes - I always thought only little girls could wear T strap shoes because I only saw little girls wearing them in my area in the 1980s when I was in elementary school. Not common at all on the West Coast, but the Deep South is a different story. I would say this is a very popular way to dress little boys in the South. It is not that unusual in South Carolina and Georgia, but I feel the greatest concentration of where this is most popular is in Alabama. In some areas of Mobile, Montgomery, Auburn, but also upper class suburbs in Birmingham such as Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, even more north like Gardendale, and places north of there like Cullman, Decatur, Huntsville, etc. It is a very popular thing in Northern Alabama for sure.
I actually had a mom on eBay from Michigan (that 99% of the time makes actual children's clothes) make me this blue polyester / cotton longall with a peter pan collar shirt with piping. I found these kneesocks made by a children's sock company in my size, and I found this vintage dark green Start Rite T strap buckle shoe from an Ebayer from Canada in a European size 41 1/2 (8 1/2 men's USA). I actually wear a European 42 (9 men's USA). I am in my mid 40s and I actually have Classic Autism (more severe than Asperger Syndrome) and also ADHD. Because of that, I am actually emotionally and socially (and in some ways, even mentally) like a 4 1/2 to 5 year old. I have a friend in Eastern North Carolina and she has 4 kids, 3 of which are teens and are normal, but her youngest son who is 7 years old now has Classic Autism and ADHD just like me. We both first talked about age 3 1/2 years old and walked at 21-22 months old, although we are 38 years apart chronologically. Anyway, he wore longalls, Jon jons, and T strap shoes till he was at least 5 1/2 years old. So with his mom's blessings, I decided to be a lookalike / doppelganger of him during Halloween 2 years ago. All my mom friends loved it! (I belong to several high end boys clothing resale groups on FB). And thought I was very cute. Even my friend from North Carolina, the one with the Autistic son I was trying to be a lookalike of, commented that I was a good soul and ALMOST as cute as him
. I really look like I'm 21 even wearing normal clothes, and seriously look like a very tall 12 year old if I wear a longall. I want to actually have a primary plaid gingham longall made for me at this point. There is also a company that makes children's T strap shoes in Spain that makes this incredibly adorable tan (almost burnt orange in color) T strap, and I want them to make me one in my size. I need a custom made shoe last though as they go up only to size 38 European and I wear a 42. That could cost me thousands of dollars, though it would be worth it if they could do it for me. Spain makes very cute and high quality leather T strap shoes for children and even ladies. 38 is an 8 ladies / 6 men's, and most females have a size 8 foot or smaller.
I'd like to share some photos of some longalls and T strap shoes I'd love to have made for me. Send a private message to me and I will send you some photos of some longalls other companies have made that I think are adorable and some of me and some photos of T strap shoes from Spain. When I showed some of my mommy friends my idea for the primary plaid gingham longalls and the T strap shoes, they all thought I would look STUNNING wearing that. One even said smashing. I can definitely pull off the look for sure! LOL.
Take care - longallsboy