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The traditional French chour outfit has remained largely the same over time, but there have been changes. The standard outfit is blue sweaters, white or blue shirts, blue short pants, white knee socks, and black leather shoes. These uniforms have remained the basic style for some time. The boys at first commonly wore berets, but they are rarely seen now. Berets disappeared after World War II. Blue shirts are popular, but we also see white shirts. They were collared shirts with pointed collars.
It is common now for choirs to include a polo shirt as one of the uniforms, often white. Also, it is now common to see choirs performing without the sweaters. This means they have to remove their hoir pisn from the sweater and wear it on their shirt, and the opposite when they wear their sweaters again. Navy blue 'V'-neck sweaters were standard. They commonly had the Choir logo on them. Navy blue pants were standard. The boys for many years wore shiort pants because shorts onts were commonly worn by French boys. The only different over time was the length which followed the popular lenth at the time. A few choirs, however, continue to wear short pants--although they often are extremely long at knee length. Some boys even wear their short pants below the knee. In recent years it has become uncommon for French boys to wear short pants as part of a school uniform or for dress wear. Many of the French choirs thus now have long pants uniforms. Some of the better known choirs have retained the traditional uniform. The white knee socks were a distinctive feature of French and some other European choirs. The white knee socks, however, were much more common with French choirs than those of other countries. This was quite different than English choirs where boys beyond about 8 years of age never wore white knee socks. They were much more associated with school girl uniforms in England. Black leather shoes completed thestandad school uniform style choir outfit. Te boys were expected to keep them well polished.
The boys at first commonly wore berets, but they are rarely seen now. Berets disappeared after World War II.
Many choirs around the world wore blazers. This was a style begun in Britain. Unlike British choirs, the choirs in France did not adopt blazer uniforms. This was because the standard French uniform was based on the unifiorm styles worn in Caholoic secondary schools after World war II. As the French choirs are mostly Catholic, this was an understandable development.
Navy blue 'V'-neck sweaters were standard. They commonly were worn with the choir pin on them. For some reason we ionly see V-neck sweaters. This was a style of sweater made to be worn with a tie. But few Frech coirs had the boys wear ties.
Some choirs wear short sleeve shirts and other choirs wear long sleeve shirts. Blue shirts are popular, but we also see white shirts. They were collared shirts with pointed collars. It is common now for choirs to include a polo shirt as one of the uniforms, often white. Also, it is now common to see choirs performing without the sweaters. This means they have to remove their choir pisn from the sweater and wear it on their shirt, and the opposite when they wear their sweaters again. A former chorister writes, "I believe the polo was a very recent ionnovation, mostly introduced after 2000. It was new in my choir during my time there, and wore it also. The polo was good because we had no problemes wearing it outside, and even at home when we are on vacation we often wore the polos."
Navy blue pants were standard. The only different over time was the length which followed the popular lenth at the time. A few choirs, however, continue to wear short pants--although they often are extremely long at knee length. Some boys even wear their short pants below the knee. In recent years it has become uncommon for French boys to wear short pants as part of a school uniform or for dress wear. Many of the French choirs thus now have long pants uniforms. Some of the better known choirs have retained the traditional uniform. We notice one choir that had the younger boys wear short pants. Most choirs, however, jut decided on long or short pants for all the boys. Some choir schools had the boys wear long pants at school and used the short oants as a performnce costume. A former chorister writers, "You re correct about the trousrs. The short pants beginning in the 1980s became longer. I agree that short pants has become longer. Although many modern choirs have changed, the traditional choirs have not changed a lot. For exemple is Les Petits Chanteurs ŕ la Croix de Bois. They still wear short pants at the knee, or sometimes shorter if the boy is taller."
The boys for many years wore short pants because shorts onts were commonly worn by French boys. The white knee socks were a distinctive feature of French and some other European choirs. The white knee socks, however, were much more common with French choirs than those of other countries. This was quite different than English choirs where boys beyond about 8 years of age never wore white knee socks. They were much more associated with school girl uniforms in England.
Black leather shoes completed thestandad school uniform style choir outfit. Te boys were expected to keep them well polished.
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