Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait shows C. Cushen a boy at the City of London School, probably in 1890. This was a private day school in the heart of London. He wears am Eton suit. Notice the pristine Eton collar. He looks to be about 15 years old. This was a uniform style adopted at Eton College and because of the importance of Eton, similsr suits were adopted by quite a number of other schools. We have a school report from 1890, but the portait coul have been taken in 1888-91. We believe he was in firm II-V during that period. The studio was E.J. Lambert in Camden Town.

School clothing was significantly affected by the type of schools. State primary schools did not have uniforms. Most private schools did. The children at state schools wore their own clothes, by mostly suits for the boys and dresses, often with pinafores, for the girls. Thestate schools generally did not require uniforms. We note the boys wearing a variety of school styles like school caps. Eton collars were also vary common, not because the school required them, but because they were an established style. The same was true of the knee pants suits that many boys wore to school. Uniforms at the grammar schools which were secondary schools tended to follow the curriculum, ethos, and uniform trends of the public (private boarding schools) schools. Caps varied. We note several public schools which still had mortar board caps. Note the boy on the previous page. This seemed morecommon in the 1860s when we first see large number of images because of the introduction of the CDV. We see many schools adopting the peaked cap as the uniform cap for the younger boys. Boaters were also worn. When first introduced it was a games cap. Eton-style suits were popular for uniforms and the Eton collars even more common. Eton suits and collars are of course associated wuth Eton College, but Eton was so influebtial tht many school adopted the Eton suit for their school uniforms. There were often minor differences. We also see standard lapel suits and Norfolk suits worn at differencr schools. And we see different kinds of pants including knee pants, knickers, and long pants. Many public schools and grammar schools had knickers or knee pants uniforms for the younger boys, but this was not always the case.

Types of Schools

School clothing was significantly affected by the type of school the children attended. Boys at private schools, both prepararory and public (elite boarding) schools commonly wore uniforms. Some public scgools had Eton suits like the boy here is wearing (figure 1). This was a uniform adopted by Etion College in the early-19th century. A number of other public schools adopted similar uniforms, with a variety of varitions, but all having characteristic Eton collars. Modt other public schools wore duits. The younger boys wore knee opants or knickers and the older boys long pants. State primary schools did not have uniforms, altyhough the boys often wore caps. We note the boys wearing a variety of school styles like school caps. The children at state schools wore their own clothes, mostly suits for the boys and dresses, often with pinafores, for the girls. Eton collars were worn, not because the school required them, but because they were an established style. While Eton collasrs were worn, Eton suits were not. The boys tended to wear knee pants. It was not a school requirement, knede pants were what Engkish bioys commonly wire at the time. Uniforms at the grammar schools which were secondary schools tended to follow the curriculum, ethos, and uniform trends of the public (private boarding schools) schools.

Garments

Headwear was common, but vasried. Most boys wore caps. This was a tyle worn at state school and oprivate schools. The peaked school cap had bcome standard. When first introduced it was a games cap. A few public schools had the boys weat top hasts. We note several public schools which still had mortar board caps. Note the boy on the previous page. This seemed more common in the 1860s when we first see large number of images because of the introduction of the CDV. Boaters were also worn at private school. Eton-style suits were popular for uniforms and the Eton collars even more common. Eton suits and collars are of course associated wuth Eton College, but Eton was so influebtial that many school adopted the Eton suit for their school uniforms. There were often minor differences. We see arious suit styles. Younger boys might wear cut-away jackets. Collar-buttoning jackets seem the most common. We also see standard lapel suits and Norfolk suits worn at differencr schools. The lapels could be small anf high set in the 1890s. And we see different kinds of pants. Knee pants seem the most common. Any private schools we also see knickers and long pants. Many public schools and grammar schools had knickers or knee pants uniforms for the younger boys, but this was not always the case. his varied from school to school depending on school uniform regulations.

Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Return to the Main English school 1890s chronological page]
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Created: 1:14 AM 2/5/2016
Last updated: 12:48 AM 5/20/2023