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Overalls were developed by Levi Strauss (mid-19th century). This was the beginning of perhapos the most storied garment in American fashion history--jeans. Over time they became associated with denim--specifically blue denim. Rivits and the bib front proved to be a practical commbination. Overalls were a work garment, first worn by miners and then factory workers. We do not see children wsearing them to any exten until the turn-of-the 20th century. primarily the late-1900s decade. We see a lot of school childen wearing them, but only at rural schools (1910s-30s). This is very pronounced in tthe photographic record. We are not sure when farmers behan weating them , we think after the turn-of-the 20th century. We have no idea why farmers did not wear then in the 19th century, but suddenly began (20th century). Farmers began wearing them at about the sane that rural children began eringbthem. We may not have notice them earlier with farmers, because people dressed up for studio portraits. We know rural children wore them because they were photograped at school. We do nt see children earing them to school (29th century), even in rural areas. We are not sure why that was. Children seem to have dressed formly for school. Overalls existed at the time, but apparently were not considered appropriate for school wear, at least in high schools. Overalls also became a major school garment in the late 1900s. Nor are not sure why children suddenly began wearing them to school. We see very few children wearing overalls to school in the early- and mid-1900s decade. Suddenly we see quite a number of boys wearing them in the late-1900s. And by the early-1910s we see quite a number of boys wearing them. Overalls were very common during the 1910s-30s, but only at rural schools. We do not see them at city schools. Overalls were especially common in the South. but widely worm in rutal areas outsiude vthe South as well. Shirts vried. We see boys wearing them without shirts on hot days like the boy here (figure 1). They declined in popularity during the 1940s as differences between urban and rural children began to disappear. It is at this time we see city kids beginning to wear jeans to school, at least primary-age children. Jeans were overalls wiyjout the bibfront. At fiest many hughschools banned jens, but in the 1960s they became stanfard. We first see jeans in Hollywood movies (late-1930s). We see John Wayne wearing them in 'Stagecoach' (1939). Initially they were only for boys, although eventually we begin to see a few girls wearing overalls as well.
Overalls were developed by Levi Strauss (mid-19th century). This was the beginning of perhapos the most storied garment in American fashion history--jeans. Rivits and the bib front proved to be a practical commbination. Overalls were a work garment, first worn by miners and then factory workers. We are not sure when farmers behan weating them , we think after the turn-of-the 20th century. We have no idea why farmers did not wear then in the 19th century, but suddenly began (20th century). Farmers seem to have begun wearing them at about the same time that rural children began wearing them. We may not have notice them earlier with farmers, however, because people in the19th century tended to dress up for studio portraits.
Over time they became associated with denim--specifically blue denim. We do not see children wearing them to any exten until the turn-of-the 20th century, primarily the late-1900s decade.
We see a lot of school childen wearing them, but only at rural schools (1910s-30s). We know rural children wore them because they were photograped at school. This is very pronounced in the 20th century photographic record. We do not see children wearing them to school even in rural areas during the 19th century. This is also very pronounced in the 19th century photographic record. We are not sure why that was. Children dressed nore formly for school even in rural areas, at least in the late-19th century. Overalls existed at the time, but apparently were not considered appropriate for schoolwear or for that matter for children, even poor children did not wear them. While we have little information on the early-19th century there is a vast photogrphic record by the late 19th century. Overalls only began to be worn at school in the 20th century.
Overalls only bercane a major Amertican school garment in the late-1900s decade. We are not sure why children suddenly began wearing them to school. We see very few children wearing overalls to school in the early- and mid-1900s decade. Suddenly we see quite a number of boys wearing them in the late-1900s, but only at rural schools. This is the same time for some reason we see knickers appearing, but motly at urban chools. And by the early-1910s we see large numbers of boys wearing them in rural schools. They were sturdy, prsactical and inexpensdive. Overalls were very common American schoolwear during the 1910s-30s, but only at rural schools. We do not see them at city schools. Overalls were especially common in the South, but widely worm in rutal areas outsiude the South as well. They declined in popularity during the 1940s as differences between urban and rural children began to disappear. It is at this time we see city kids beginning to wear jeans to school, at least primary-age children. Jeans were overalls without the bibfront. We first see jeans in Hollywood movies (late-1930s). The very idea of cowboys eearing oiverlls would have seemed abnsurd to those of us who trecked to the saturday afternoon double features that featured our favorute cowboy heroes. We see John Wayne wearing them in 'Stagecoach' (1939). Cowboy heros never wore overalls. They did wear jeans. At first many highschools banned jeans, but in the 1960s they became standard.
Shirts varied. Usually boys wore overalls with collard shirts. T-shirts did not begin to become popular until the late-1930s. We see boys wearing overalls without shirts on hot days like the Depression era boy here (figure 1). There was no ai condtioning in schools at the time. Many boys wearing overalls came barefoot to school. This may have depoended somewhat on tghe distance the boy had to walk go school. Econinoics ws another factor. hies ere expendsive. Overalls declined in popularity during the 1940s as differences between urban and rural children began to disappear. It is at this time we see city kids beginning to wear jeans to school, at least primary-age children. Jeans were overalls without the bibfront.
Overalls initially they were only for boys, although eventually we begin to see a few intrepiod girls wearing overalls as well. The fact that many mothers and hounbg women began working in factories durung the early 40s may have been a factor. Oberalls, however, were never poopular with girlswho more concerned anout how theuy looked than boys. Jeans are another matter.
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