|
German boys have worn a wide variety of dififferent clothing styles for First Communion. Much of our information is from avialable images which look like mostly Catholic boys. These styles like all fashions have changed over time. Some boys were given special suits just for their First Communion. Some were quite fancy and only suitable for First Communuoin or a few other formal events. Other boys were given a new suit, but one that could be worn for best and not specifically styled for First Communion. At this time we know realtively little about the styles. Some French boys wore sailor suits. German boys did also. They appaer to have been common in the 1920s. I think this was because many German boys wore sailor suits, not because they were purchased especially for First Communion. Some German boys wore white short pants suits, often with kneesocks. Some boys wore long stockings or tights. Boys sometimes wore long stockings with short pants suits as the weather in Germany is sometimes quite chilly. Long pants suits begame more common in the 1970s. The girls as in other countries wore junior wedding dresses.
German boys have worn a wide variety of dififferent clothing styles for First Communion. Much of our information is from avialable images which look like mostly Catholic boys. I do not think Protesrant families made such an event out of First Communion are dressed up as much.
The garments worn have changed over time. These styles like all fashions have changed over time. Some boys were given special suits just for their First Communion. Some were quite fancy and only suitable for First Communuoin or a few other formal events. Other boys were given a new suit, but one that could be worn for best and not specifically styled for First Communion.
We notice groups of German boys and girls dressed up for their First Communion. In only a few cases are they dressed a like. We assume that was ehen they attended the same school where the priest or other authorities were very concerned about dress. In most occassions the boys are dressed differently, although there is a degree of consisrency created by the popularity of ceratin styles. And the sailor suit was a particularly popular outfit for First Commiunion over some time. It actually had no real connection with First Communion, it is just that the sailor suit was such a ppopulat outfit. For many boys it was the outdfit that they wore for special occasions. Thus we see many First Comminion groups with many of the boys wearing sailor suits, often but not always sailor xsuits. This varied quite a bit over time. It was very common in the early-20th century, but rarely seen after Workd War II (1939-45). We continue seeing boys wearing a mix of outfuts after the War, but sailor suits were no longer an important part of the mix. And it later became popular to wearliturgical robes like white cassocks. In this case the boys are all dressed alike. Girls wore junior wedding dresses. There were differences, but they are less apparenr than the varuiations in the outfits worn by boys.
At this time we know realtively little about the styles. Many French boys wore sailor suits. I'm not sure this was as common in Germany. But we do note quite a number of German boys wearing them. They appaer to have also been most common before World War I, but were widely worn for First Communion in Germany through the early 1930s. We note a wide variety of suit styles, especially before the 1930s. Boys wore suits with both single breasted and double beasted styling. Norfolk styling was also common. Some German boys wore white short pants suits, often with kneesocks. A few boys wore formal suts that would not be suited for ordinary wear, but would be reserved for First Communion or a few very special occassions. The styling of these suits varied. Some had elements of sailor styling. Sometimes these suits were worn with bows (figure 1). Such bows were most common before World War I. German boys before World War I always wore formal, closed collar shorts for First Communion, normally with ties or other neckwar. By the mid-1920s we seen many boys wearing open collared shirts for First Communion. For First Communion, a few boys even wore their open collar shirts with a tie (figure 1). Most had pointed collars, but a few boyys wore wide collars with rounded or Peter Pan-style collars. Some boys wore long stockings or tights. Long black stockings were common before World War I and were still widely worn in the early 1920s. The long dark stockings were considered more reverent and suitable for such an important event in the Church. In the 20s, however, light colored long stockings became more common. Boys sometimes wore long stockings with short pants suits as the weather in Germany is sometimes quite chilly. Also in the 20s, more boys began wearing kneesocks. Both the lighter colored stockings and kneesocks were part of the clear shift to more casual dress after World War I. We also notice boys wearing liturgical robes. I think they are cassocks. I am not sure yet, however, how popular this has been in Germany. We note it more commonly in France.
Catholic girls as in other countries wore what look like junior wedding dresses. This has been a standard convention throughout the 20th century. The styl;es of the wedding dresses have varied over time, but the basic convention has continued to be popular.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site religious pages:
[Return to the Main German First Communion page]
[Return to the Main First Communion country page]
[First Communion]
[Confirmation]
[Ring bearer]
[Victorian wedding]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
[The 1990s]
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Short pants suits]
[Blazers]
[Jackets]
[Kilts]
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Ring bearer/page costumes]
[Shortalls]
