Figure 1.--This 1935 photograph shows the Vienna Choir Boys with an unidentified woman, perhaps their matron.

The uniform was changed after the First World War to the present sailor suit. At the end of the Habsburg monarchy in 1919, the court replaced the boys' regalia of colorful, imperial military uniforms and a dagger. The boys were given a new sailor-style uniform and they continued their centuries of performing with a new name, The Vienna Boys' Choir. I don't have details yet on why they chose the sailor suit. I can only assume that the unpopularity of the military after the disaster of the World War I made the army so unpopular, that it was no longer suitable for choir boys. The sailor suit, however, was so associated with boys' wear that it was apparently more acceptable. Whatever the reason, the uniform worn by the Vienna Boys' Choir since World War II has been the traditional sailor suit long with long pants. They have both blue and white middy blouses. The white middy blouse with black pants is worn during the summer and the blue middy blouse during the winter. HBC is not sure, but assumes that the sailor suit was based on the uniform of the Austrian Navy. Of course in the peace settlement ending World War, Austria-Hungary was dismembered and Austria lost its Adriatic ports.

Adoption

The uniform was changed after the First World War to the present sailor suit. At the end of the Habsburg monarchy in 1919, the court replaced the boys' regalia of colorful, imperial military uniforms and a dagger. The boys were given a new sailor-style uniform and they continued their centuries of performing with a new name, The Vienna Boys' Choir. I don't have details yet on why they chose the sailor suit. I can only assume that the unpopularity of the military after the disaster of the World War I made the army so unpopular, that it was no longer suitable for choir boys. The sailor suit, however, was so associated with boys' wear that it was apparently more acceptable.

Style

Whatever the reason, the uniform worn by the Vienna Boys' Choir since World War II has been the traditional sailor suit long with long pants. They have both blue and white middy blouses. HBC is not sure, but assumes that the sailor suit was based on the uniform of the Austrian Navy. Of course in the peace settlement ending World War, Austria-Hungary was dismembered and Austria lost its Adriatic ports. HBC is not sure, but assumes that the sailor suit was based on the uniform of the Austrian Navy. Of course in the peace settlement ending World War, Austria-Hungary was dismembered and Austria lost its Adriatic ports. HBC is unsure just what the austrian naval uniform looked like. The choir uniform is quite similar to the German Kriegs Marina.

Seasonality

The white middy blouse with black pants is worn during the summer and the blue middy blouse during the winter. I have never noted the choristers wearung an all-white uniform. The seasonal difference presumably involved more than the color of the middy blouse. Presumably the material was also different.

Usage

The sailorsuit was not only worn for choir performances. The boys wore their sailor suits all the time while at schol, both during their studies and during their freetime. Available images from 1935 show the boys wearing their sailor suit uniform both in classromm and a sort of trcreational room playing pingpong. We are not sure what the regulations currently are at the school.