Figure 1.--Here we see a German class in the 1920s. They look to be on a school outing. We have noted the boys' school caps in many German imasges, but less commonly the girls' headwear seen here. They look like tams. Notice that all the boys wear caps, but not all the girls wear the tams. A German reader tells us, "Yes you are right. I haven't seen girls wearing school headwear like that very often either."

Garments like blazers, ties, jumpers, school sandals, all seem to be English in origin. Some garments were worn by both boys and girls. Others are destincly for girls only, especially gym frocks/gym sklips, . Headwear and skirted garments were destinctly for girls, even here, however there were exceptions. There are destinctive headwear styles for boys and girls. The boys wore pants and the girls dresses, often gym frocks, or skirts. This is the convention in all schools that we know of with uniforms. The colors vary. Blue and gray are the most common. The girls dresses are both solid colors and patterns--almost always plaid. At non-uniform schools in recent years girls have begun wearing pants, both jeans and shorts. Some schools with unforms allow the girls to wear shorts and long pants, but this is not very common. Hosiery and footwear often differed. Many schools have the girls wear white socks, both ankle and knee length. Few schools use white socks for boys uniforms, although we note one school in Brisbane where the boys wear white kneesocks. Some have shoe requirements such as strap shoes or sandals, but this varies.We notice substantial differences in these garments over time and among countries. Not only did the actual garments change, but the gender conventions for wearing them.

Origins

Garments like blazers, ties, jumpers, gym frocks, school sandals, all seem to be English in origin.

Gender Conventions

Some garments were worn by both boys and girls. Others are destincly for girls only. Headwear and skirted garments were destinctly for girls, even here, however there were exceptions. There are destinctive headwear styles for boys and girls. The boys wore pants and the girls dresses, often gym frocks, or skirts. This is the convention in all schools that we know of with uniforms.

Colors

The colors of garments may vary along gender lines. Blue and gray are the most common.

Specific Garments

Girls until the 1970s mostly wore dresses or blouses and skirts to school. While this is no longer the case, actual school uniforms still are mostly dresses or skirts. The girls school uniform dresses are both solid colors and patterns--almost always plaid. Perhaps the most destinctive girls' school garment was the gym slip, mormally worn with a white blouse. The gym slip is a skirted garment intermediate between a skirt and aress. The gym slip had a bodice like a dress, but like a skirt had to be worn with a blouse. We do not see grey shirts like the boys wore. While the gym slip originated in Britain, we now see it being worn around the world. In some countries it is more common than in England. At non-uniform schools in recent years girls have begun wearing pants, both jeans and shorts. Soviet girls wore dresss and pinafores. Some schools with unforms allow the girls to wear shorts and long pants, but this is not very common. Hosiery and footwear often differed. Many schools have the girls wear white socks, both ankle and knee length. Few schools use white socks for boys uniforms, although we note one school in Brisbane where the boys wear white kneesocks. Some have shoe requirements such as strap shoes or sandals, but this varies.We notice substantial differences in these garments over time and among countries. Not only did the actual garments change, but the gender conventions for wearing them.

Created: 10:30 PM 2/12/2006
Last updated: 11:59 AM 8/14/2011