Figure 1.--Boys at this rural school sailor suits, various shirts, and Fauntleroy blouses. Presumably the children dressed up a bit to have their photographs take.

Unlike many European schools, American schools were generally coeducational, thus providing glimpses of what boys and girls were wearing.

The children have come out of the school so we do not get to see what kind of hats or caps they were wearing.

Boys at this rural school sailor suits, various shirts, and Fauntleroy blouses. Mot boys appear to wear a shirt or blouse to school without a jacket. They are all long sleeve shirts. Two of the boys at back appear to be wearing suits. Presumably the children dressed up a bit to have their photographs taken. All of the boys have short haircuts.

Notice the pinafores that the girls are wearing, not to different from the clothes that girls were wearing in the 1880s. Hair ribbons are very popular for the girls. One girl wears a middy blouse.

Related Links: Careful this will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but both sites are highly recommended.

Apertures Press International Project: Pictures at schools in different countries and a book on British schools
Apertures Press New Zealand E-book: New book on New Zealand schools in progress.
School Uniform Web SiteInformative review of British school uniforms with some excellent photographs
Boys' Preparatory SchoolsLovely photographic essay of British preparatory schools during the 1980s containing over 200 color and black and white photographs.

Created: June 5, 1999
Last updated: March 26, 2000