Figure 1.-- Here we see two German brothers wearing identical sailor suits. The snapshot is undated, but was probably taken in the 1930s. It looks like they took their trike and wagon to a neighborhood park.

The most frequently used outfit used for dressing children identically within a family was the sailor suit. This was especially the case in Germany. The sailor suit was enormously popular in Germany. This convention was common from the 1890s through the 1930s. There were a variety of conventions. We see many family portraits and snapshots of brothers in matching sailor suits as well sisters in matching sailor suits. We also see brothers and sisters wearing sailor suits, in some cases the entire family, rather like the Trapp family in the "Sound of Music". Here age was a factor. In some cases the younger children were exempted. In other families it was the older children once beyond their early teens. The combinations and age conventions varied from family to family. Commonly traditionally styled sailor suits were used. The children might for example wear identical middy blouses, but with pants for the boys and skirts for the girls. Sailor suits were especially popular with middle-class families. An example here is a middle-class family in 1909. At the time sailor suits were most popular, girls mostly wear dresses or skirts. We do see quite a number of brothers and sisters dressed in matching or similar sailor suits, with the boys wearing pants and the girls skirts.

Sailor Suit Prevalence

The most frequently used outfit used for dressing children identically within a family was without doubt the sailor suit. This was especially the case in Germany. The sailor suit was enormously popular in Germany, espdecially for boys but wa also widely worn by girls. This it could be used for dressuing all the boys alike and also the girls if so desired somply by substituting a skirt for the oants. . This convention was common from the 1890s through the 1930s. The sailor suit was emensely popular during this period. Earlier it was primarily worn by younger boys, but by the 1890s we see younger teenagers wearung saiior suits as well as girls. The sailor suit declined slightly in piopularity during the 1930, but was stull wudely wirn. And we see examples offamily photographs with the children done up in sailor suits throughout this period. We seem to see the most German familes with sailor suit clad chikdren in th 1920s, but that is just our initial asessment.

Conventions

There were a variety of conventions associated with dressing a family or part of a family in sailor suits. The age and gender of the children affected this. We see many family portraits and snapshots of all the children in a family wearing sailor suits, both the brothers and sisters wearing sailor suits--the entire family. This was rather like the Trapp family in the "Sound of Music". While we see a number of such examples, more commonly it was just the boys wearing in matching sailor suits. We see huge numbers of such portraits in the photographic record. Somewhat less commonly we see all the girls wearing matching sailor suits. Here age was a factor. In some cases the younger children were exempted. In other families it was the older children once beyond their early teens. The conventions and combinations varied from family to family.

Styling

Commonly traditionally styled sailor suits were used. The children might for example wear identical middy blouses, but with pants for the boys and skirts for the girls.

Social Class

Sailor suits were especially popular with middle-class families. An example here is a middle-class family in 1909.

Garments

Most sailor suit garments could be worn by boys and girls. The headwear coyld be worn by both, but the caps are much more associated with boys. The middy blouses could be worn by both boys and girls. Here there was no gender destinctions. The principal difference was pants and skirts. At the time sailor suits were most popular, girls mostly wear dresses or skirts. We do see quite a number of brothers and sisters dressed in matching or similar sailor suits, with the boys wearing pants and the girls skirts.

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Created: 9:49 PM 6/25/2006
Last updated: 8:22 AM 10/25/2013