German First Communion Suit Styles: Specific Outfits


Figure 1.--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. This 2005 First Communion was held in Linst.

We have noted German boys wearing a range of suit or costume stles for First Communion. The popularity of various styles has varied over time. One outfit was sailor suits. 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.

Headwear

While girls wore veil type headwear for First Communion, most boys did not have headwear as part of their First Communion suits. The major exception was boys wearing sailor suits for First Communion. Even with sailor suits, most boys did not have headwear, but a few did. The photographic record suggests that boys' headwear was not very common at all. Almost always the headwear was some kind of sailor hat or cap. We also see a few boys wearing their school caps with sailor suits for First Communion. Most of the examples we have found are from the 1920s or 30s. Most of the examples we have found are from formal studio portraits. We are not sure how commonly the boys actually wore the hats, although the caps were probably worn to some extent, especially the school caps.

Sailor Suits

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. I think this was because many German boys wore sailor suits, not because they were purchased especially for First Communion. At least some of the sailor suits we note were standard styles that could have been worn for many occassions, even school after the First Communion service (figure 1). But we have little actual information here. Sailor suits for First Communion declined after the NAZI take-over in 1933 as the NAZIs were not especially fond of sailor suits for boys.

Suits

We note German boys wearing a wide variety of suits for their First Communions. We see many different styles. Boys almost always wore suits for First Communion into the 1960s. First Communion was a very important event and thus a new suit was often purchased for the occassion. 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. Long pants suits begame more common in the 1970s. Colors also changed after World War I. Before the War, most boys wore somber, datk colored suits, normally with dark long stockings. After the War, lighter colored suits appeared, often worn with light-colored long stockings or even white knee socks. Dark suits were also very common, we think both black and navy blue suits were worn. Many boys wore white knee socks with their suits. A few boys wore formal suits that would not be suited for ordinary wear, but would be reserved for First Communion or a few very special occassions.

Shirts

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.

Hosiery

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.

Robes

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. An Americn reader writes, "I believe the correct term for the white garments the boys are wearing is "albs" rather than cassocks. Anyway, this is what we call them in the Episcopal (Anglican) Church. And Anglican and Roman Catholic terminology for ecclesiastical vestments is pretty much identical."









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Created: January 24, 2003
Last edited: 6:41 AM 8/15/2010