Figure 1.--These French boys have just taken there First Communion in 1926. Note the number of boys wearing sailor suits. The photograph is notable for the diversity of First Communion outfits. They look to be about 11 years old. |
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The inter-war years are notable for the diversity of the First Communion suits worn by French boys. Many boys wore short pants suits for First Communion during in the inter-war years, but long pants suits were also very common. In fact, for many boys their First Communion suits were their first long pants, a kind of symolic coming of age, emerging from boyhood to adulthood. Some of the suits were white to match the white dresses worn by the girls. White kneesocks were sometimes worn with the suits. White knee socks were more commonly worn by French boys than English boys, but they were considered dressy, not every day wear. I'm not sure just when the style of wearing white kneesocks began. One notable fashion is that large numbers of boys did their First Communion in a variety of sailor suits. Surprisingly, white sailor suits were not all that common. The images I have seen are of many long pants sailor suits, but short pants suits were worn as well. Some Catholic schools instead of having parents buy new oufits would have the boys dress up in identical cassocks for the First Communion ceremony. Some of these schools had monks or priests wearing cassocks as teachers. This was not as common in the inter-war era as it was to become after World War II. Only the boys, however, wore the white cassocks. This same style was worn by Swiss boys during First Communion and it may well have been used in other countries as well. Boys continued wearing large bows on their arms.
Boys during the inter-War years did First Communion at an older age than is today the common practice. A French reader tells us, "The boys doing their First Communion in the inter-war years followed the French pattern of doing it at about 11-12 years of age. Children began the cathechist at 8 years of age. This study would last about 3 years. Thus children didn't do their solenm Communion before 11/12 years of age. This thus helps date the children in period First Communion portraits." Some of the boys in the photographs look a little younger, perhaos about 10 years old. Our French reader tells us, " the best catechist pupils might do their first communion at 9 or 10 years. But this first communion was rather a ordinary Sunday, and the child was dressed as usual Sunday, whitout alb or armband. Instead, the Solenm Communion is a great day, children are well dressed.
And thus it is not possible to look a child younger as 11/12 years on French Communion portrait. Also in former times Children looked younger, and they were always dressed much juvenil than is now the case. Girls began young lady after 14 years, to day it is at 11 years. Boys began their voice breaking at 14 an , often at 15 years, now it is common at about 12 years."
The inter-war years are notable for the diversity of the First Communion suits worn by French boys. We see boys wearing different styles of suits. We see both single and double-breasted jackets as well as sailor suits. We also see formal suits rather like tuxedos. We note some suit jackets that are rather stylish and seem to be primarily for First Communion and would not be worn as a normal suit jacket. They tended to be dark suits in contrasts to the girls' white dresses. Boys wore both kneepants, short pants, and long pants. Hosery inclided kneesocks and long stockings. A few boys wore albs, but this became more common after World war II. The sleeve ribbons were very popular.
Most of the First Communion suits we have noted are dark suits, we think either black or dark blue. A few boys wore white knee socks, but dark hosiery was more wommon. A few of the boys wore white suits which matched the white dresses worn by the girls. The dark suits, however, were much more common.
We notice several individual portraits of French boys doing their First Communions during the inter-War period. In some case all we have is the portrait which may or may not be dated. A reader has provided us some information about an unidentified group doing their First Communion in 1926. He describes the various outfits they are wearing. The outfits are notable for their diversity. The boys look to be about 10-years old. We notice one portrait of an unidentified boy in 1934. He wears a long pants suit worn with a white open-collar shirt. He looks to be about 8-9 years old.
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