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We note many younger German boys in the late-19th and early-20th century wearing plain jackets without lapels which buttoned at the collar. We do not know what this style of jacket was called in German. We are not sure if there is a specific name for these jackets either in German or English. We will use the term collar-buttoning jacket until we find a better term. They were very commonly worn. As far as we can tell, Germany was one of the countries in which these suits were especially popular. These jackets were worn by younger boys. We are not yet sure about ages, but we see far fewer examples once boys reached their teens. We can not yet be more specific because our archive is still very limited. They were done in a wide variety of styles. We see more different styles in Germany than any other country. Collar-buttoning jackets were also popular in America, but we do not see all the stlistic variations that we note in Germany, especilly in the 19th century. By the 20th century they were more standarized and plainer. The boy's jacket here is a good examole (figure 1). American collar-buttoning jackets were much plainer, based on the rather plain style of U.S. Army uniforms. The German collar buttoning jackets included the double breasted style, at least a double row of buttons. Modern-styled suit jackets with lapels first appeared with adults. Many children jackets in different styles often buttoned at the collar. We begin to see examples in the mid-19th century. Unlike America, however, early photographic types (Dags and Ambros) are rellatively rare in Germany. It is not until th 1860s with the CDV that we see any number of German photographic images. It is at this time that the collar buttoning jackets were common. This suggests thaeywer also common in the 1850s. A good example is an unidentifed boy in the 1870s. And this style was still popular in the early-20th-century. We continue to see them into the early-1930s, although by that time it was a declining style (figure 1).
We note many younger German boys in the 19th and early-20th century wearing plain jackets without lapels which buttoned at the neck. Thery were vusuall done with shirrt-like collars.
We do not know what this style of jacket was called in German. We are not sure if there is a specific name for these jackets either in German or English. We will use the term collar-buttoning jacket until we find a better term. Perhaps our German readers can tell us what they were called in German.
We begin to see examples of collar-buttoning jackets in the mid-19th century. Unlike America, however, early photographic types (Dags and Ambros) are rellatively rare in Germany. They exist, but are far less common yhan in America. This maeans that we do not know a great deal about the 1840s and 50s. It is not until the 1860s with the CDV that we see any number of German photographic images. It is at this time that the collar buttoning jackets were common. This suggests thaeywer also common in the 1850s. A good example is an unidentifed boy in the 1870s. And this style was still popular in the early 20th-century. E are able vto follow fashion trends in far more detail in the 20th century bcause of the exploding popularity of photographyn in Germany. We continue to see collar-buttoning jackets in the early-1930s, although by that time this was a declining style (figure 1).
They were, very commonly worn. As far as we can tell, Germany was one of the countries in which these suits were especially popular. Whilke our 19th century Gerrman archiveis not extnsive, we notr]e thatn many 19th century portraits show younger boys wearing collar-buttoning jackets.
These jackets were worn by younger boys. We are not yet sure about ages, but we see far fewer examples once boys reached their teens. We can not yet be more specific because our archive is still very limited. We are basically talking about primnary-age chilkdrenm. Until after World War II, most German children did not advance beyond primary school, meaning about age 13 years old. This was the common practice in Europe and Germany had the most advanced eduction system in Europe. It was only a little different in America.
Many children jackets in different styles often buttoned at the collar. Collar-buttoning jackets were done in a wide variety of styles. We see more different styles in Germany than any other country. Collar-buttoning jackets were also popular in America, but we do not see all the stlistic variations that we note in Germany, especilly in the 19th century. We see plain suits in the 19th century, but we also see many fancier styles with somtuimnes elaborate decoration. This seems to be especially charactrristic of German collar-buttoning jackets. We suspect that social-class factors were involved here. The more elaborated, decorated jackedts were more expensive and thus mostly worn by boys from affluntb families. By the 20th century these jackets were more standarized and plainer. The boy's jacket here in the 1930s is a good example (figure 1). American collar-buttoning jackets were much plainer, based on the rather plain style of U.S. Army uniforms. The German collar buttoning jackets included both single- and double-breasted styling. Often the double breasted styling was only a double row of buttons. Modern-styled suit jackets with lapels first appeared with adults.
This of course was a boy's style. Lapel jackets could not be done with dresses. But we see some girls with dress bodices that look rather like boys' single breasted collar-buttoning jackets. The girl's dress here is a good example (figure 1).
Because German boys commonly wore collar buttoning jakmets with knee pants, they were usully worn with long stockings. The primry exception was when boys went barefoot during the summer which was fairly common in rural and less affluent areas. Long stockings were fairly common in Germany, almost universal, during the period in which the jackets were worn.
Collar-buttoning jackets were primarily worn with knee pants. This reflcts the fact that they were a style for younger boys. And knne pants became standard for younger boys in the late-19th century. We see fewer boys wearing these jackets with short pants after World War I, largely because the collar-buttoning jacket was declining in popularity, especially by the 1930s .
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