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There were still subsantial difference in school wear from country to country in the 1950s. It was still possible to identify the country by having a look at the garments worn, at least the major countries. American boys mostly wore long pants to school. Primary school boys often wore jeans. Secondary school boys mostly wore slacks, often jeans were still not allowed. Boys in English schools commonly wore short pants and knee socks. Many state primary schools did not have uniforms, but secondary schools did. Smocks were still quite common in French and Italian schools, as were short pants. Japanese boys began wearing short cut short pants, both at schools which required uniform and those that did not.
There were still subsantial difference in schoolwear from country to country in he 1950s. It was still possible to identify the country by having a look at the garments worn. school uniforms were not very common. We mostly see them in Britain and British Empire schools and even in Britain uniforms were mostly worn in private schools and secondary schools. The boys here are a good example (figure 1). We also see some school uniforms in the Soviet Union and some of the Soviet satellite countries. We also see uniforms in Japan and Korea. Otherwise children mostly wore their own clothes to school. Clothes varied somewhat in Europe geographically because of the North/South climate differential. There was also an income differential, but that began to close in the 1950s. British uniforms tended to be rater frmal, but on countries where children wore their own clthig, styles by the 1950s tended to be rather informal. Some secondary schools still had more formal dress codes in the 1950s, but this was changing fast. Boys commonly wore casual shirts. Sometimes thaey buttined at the collar. We see seweaters in cold weather. We see any boys wearing short oamts in Eurioe, with kneesocks furng the colder months. By the end of the decade er see more boys wearing long pants. Sandals were common for younger boys. American boys mostly wore long pants. We see some shorts with younger boys in the early-50s, but by mid-decade even the youngest boys mostly wore long pants. We see some sneakers with younger boys.
We have developed information on school trends in several countries during the 1950s.
We note substantial differences around the country as to what bous wore to school. School clothing was realtively informal in most American schools. Plaid shirts were popular. American boys mostly wore long pants to school. Many elementary school boys wore jeans to school. Corduroy pants were popular in the winter. I remember wearing flannel shirts and flannel-lined jeans during the winter. At my school we always wore collared shirts, although some boys wore 't'-shirs when the weather warmed up. We never wore ties. Jeans were, however, not permitted in secondary schools. All boys wore collared shirts. Ties were rare, but some boys buttoned their collar buttons. Secondary school boys mostly wore slacks, often jeans wer not allowed. Uniforms were not common, except at parochial schools and private schools. A reader tells us, "It seems that in the New York area, it was common for schools to have strict dress codes until the late 1960's, even in the grammar schools. My father went to grade school in Jersey city and my mother in New York City and then Jersey City. At their schools the boys had to wear slacks, shoes, and ties, and the girls skirts and shoes. (Though I think it was the same for girls in most areas, but the boys differed.) I saw a picture from the New Jersey grade school I attended; I believe 1956, though I can't remeber the exact date, but around there. In the picture all but one of the boys wore ties and half wore jackets. I read in a book that the same rules were in effect in my town at that time. Likely the boys were just wearing jackets for the school picture. My father told me that in the late 60s they dropped the tie requirement and allowed the girls to wear dress slacks, and in the 70s the rules dwindled to almost nothing, as they did in most schools in the country." Another reader reports, "I attended grade school in Washington state in the mid 50's to early 60's. Girls had to wear dresses (no pants) and boys had to wear long pants (no jeans) and button up shirts (no T-Shirts). During the last week of school everyone was allowed to wear shorts if they wanted to, but they had to be Bermuda length. I remember a kid getting into trouble for wearing shorts that were boxer length."
Major changes began to occur in the 1950s, although in many cases actual changes did not become manifest until the 1960s. Caps still common at the beginning of the decade were being dropped at many state secondary and public schools by the end of the decade. Short pants were still worn at most prep schools and by the junior boys at many secondary schools. State elementary boys still did not commonly wear uniforms, but major changes in the educational system established many new schools which began requiring uniforms. School sandals were commonly worn by elementary-age boys as well as girls of all ages. Secondary schools, both secondary moderns and grammar schools did require uniforms. Often the younger boys at these schools had to wear caps, short pants, and kneesocks. Often the schools were quite strict about uniforms, but regulations varied greatly from school to school.
Boys in English schools commonly wore short pants and knee socks. The traditional school cap becomes much less common, except at preparatory schools. Sate primaries did not have unifoems, but by the end of the decade, some had begin to introduce them. Grey shirts and shorts were very common. Rugby-style shirts were popular. Many state primary schools did not have uniforms, but secondary schools did. Uniform were mormally blazers and short or long trousers (figure 1). Almost all private schools had uniforms.
French school trends in the early-1950s were very similar to the 1940s. Major changes began to take place by the mid 1950s. The recovery from World War II and the prosperity of the 1950s meant that more money could be spent on clothes. By the early-50s, living standards had surpassed pre-War levels. France was not neatly as badly damaged as Germany, bur there was considerable damage in some areas, especially Normandy. Combined with rising family income we have smaller families. French boys in the 1950s had much more extensive wardrobes than before the War. For some reasom we no longer see boys wearing bereys, except for Scouting. Smocks were still common in the early-50s, but steadily declined as the decade progressed. By the later part of the decade were declining in popualarity, especially among older primary-age boys. This seems to have been up to the school, but boys seem less willing to wear them and parents less supportive. It seems to have been largely dependent on the individual schools. We see some schools where most of the boys wore them (figure 1) and other schools where we see very few smocks. We still see many boys wearing short pants, but steadily during the decade we begin to see more boys wearing long pants especially during the winter. Knee socks which were still common in the 1940s became less common in the 1950s especially by the end of the decade. Many younger boys, however, still wore smocks. Sandals were still common boys' wear, but were becoming increasingly seasonal. A few boys wear sneakers, but sandals were still more common.
Germany was occupied by the Allies at the end of World War II and slit into four occupation zones. The three Western zones (American, British, and French) were susequently combined. There was little difference in the schools at the beginning of the occuption, but the Soiviets and Western Allies promoted very different economic policies in their respective occupation zons. In addition, Stalin refused to let East Germany and the other Eastern European satellite countries participate in the American-financed Marshall Plan (1948). As a result, East Germany did not participate in the German Economic Miracle. The developing economic disparity of course affected consumer spending and that included clothes and fashion. German boys did not wear school uniforms, but rather their ordinary clothes to school. German children were much better dressed at the end of the decade than we observe at the beginning of the decade. East German schools are easy to identify in the 1960s because of the school uniforms the childrebn wore, bt this is more difficult in the 1950s. The trend toward casual school dressed continued through the decade. We see more boys wearing long pants as the decade continued. We also note a substantial expansion of the secindary educatioin system. Here we see some individual German schools in the 1950s. We also have informtion on East Germany
We notice many primary school boys wearing black or perhaps navy blue smockis in the 1950s. Often they wore them with wide white collars, many mothers added floppy bows--we believe red bows. This convention is so wide spread that we think nation-wide government regulations were involved, but we do not have details on the regulations at this time. Unless it was required we do not think that there would have been such notavle conformity. Most boys seem to wear short pants with their school smocks. Here I think this was just the fashion rather than beuing required by the school, but there may have been some variation from school to school.
Japanese boys began earing short cut short pants, both at schools which required uniform and those that did not.
Stalin died after sufferung a stroke (1953). Had he not been having his Jewish doctors being tortuted in the Lubianka. He was denounced by Khrushchev 3 years later (1956). As far as we know, there were no important change in school uniforms made durung this period. It was, however, that the iviet economy was funally recovering from the disaster of World War II. Living conditions were improving. The improvements were not comparable to what was occurriung in the West, but there were improvements over conditions in the Soviet Union with more consumer goods including clothing available vthan ever before.
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