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Suits were for an extended period the primary outfit American boys wore to school. Our information is still limired for the early-19th century. We think boys wore tunic suits, at least fashionable city boys. We note shirts that were done rather like tunics at mid-century. We are less sure about what rural boys wore, but probably not suits. After mid-century, especially by the 1860s, we see commonly wearing suits to school. Suits became standard in the late-19th century. The increasing afluence of Americans was a factor here. Even working-class city boys commonly had sack suits. They might not have extensive wadrobes, but suits were commonly what they did have. Many boys had a wardrobe consisting of two suits, one for school and dress up and an old suit for general wear. Long pants suits were standard except for younger boys, but knee pants suits gradually became more common and by the 1890s were standard even for younger teen agesers. Boys in rural areas often lagged the urban comventions. We see garments like sailor suits and knee pants suits in the early-20th century. Suddenly aboit 1908-09 e befin o see knicker rather than knee pants suits. Wearing a suit to school was still very common before World War I (1914-18), especially in city schools. This formal attitude continued after the War, but more casual styles gradually took hold during the 20s, especially in primary schools. Suits were still worn, but much less coimmon in the 1930s. The type of school was a factor. Many private schools continued to require suits even after they disapperd in public schools. Suits were much less common in rural schools, especially after the 1900s when overalls appeared in the schools.
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