Figure 1.--This side-buttoning smock was worn by French boys from the 1930s-50s. This smock was made in the early 1950s for an 8-year old boy. Here we see the front view. Like back buttoning smocks there was a waistband which buttoned.

The front buttoning smocks sometimes had the buttons set somewhat to the side rather than down the center. We refer to these as side buttoning smocks, some of which had buttons set fully to the side. We first notice these smocks in the late 1920s. They may have appeared earlier, but we can not yet confirm that. We do not know precisely when this style appeared. We do not think it was commonly worn before World War I. Side buttonimg smocks were a popular school smock style into the 1950s. They were avaiable in sizes beginning at about 4 years of age. We are sure why this style appeared in the 1930s. We note many changes in French school smcks during the 1930s. Presumably boys found the side buttons more convenient. We do not yet, however, have any actual accounts revealing what boys actually thought about side buttoning smocks. But we are unsure how much importance mothers attached to this. One French readers suggest that boys smocks were chosen mostly according to the mother's fashion tastes than the boy's preferences. We thus are unsure as to just why the side buttoning smocks became so popular.

Arrangements

The front buttoning smocks sometimes had the buttons set somewhat to the side rather than down the center. We refer to these as side buttoning smocks, some of which had buttons set fully to the side. We note that most of these smocks seem to have the buttoning on the boy's right side--although our sample is not large.. We are not sure why this was. As most people are right handed you might think that buttons on the left side would be more practical.

Chronology

We first notice these smocks in the late 1920s. They may have appeared earlier, but we can not yet confirm that. We do not know precisely when this style appeared. We do not think it was commonly worn before World War I. Side buttonimg smocks were a popular school smock style into the 1950s. They were avaiable in sizes beginning at about 4 years of age.

Figure 2.--This is the back view of the side buttoning smock pictured above. Notice the buttoning waist band.

Popularity

We are sure why this style appeared in the 1930s. We note many changes in French school smcks during the 1930s. Presumably boys found the side buttons more convenient. We do not yet, however, have any actual accounts revealing what boys actually thought about side buttoning smocks. But we are unsure how much importance mothers attached to this. One French readers suggest that boys smocks were chosen mostly according to the mother's fashion tastes than the boy's preferences. We thus are unsure as to just why the side buttoning smocks became so popular.

Pockets

The two front pockets common on many French smocks appear to have also been common for the side buttoning smocks.