Figure 1.--The English schoolboy wears a black blazer, a popular color for comprehensives as well as many private day schools. Note that all this boy's friemds wear long pants. |
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The blazers worn by English boys over time have been various colors. Most English school boys and girls above the primary level wore them. Many primary age boys and girls also wore them, but mostly children at private schools. The blazer was in fact worn by boys and girls. The child's gender did not affect the color of his or her blazer. The colors in part have been affected by the type of
school. State secondary schools generally have plain black blazers, often with rhe school crest. Preparatory schools have worn a much greater range of colors. I believe the wearing of brightly colored blazers as a school uniform looks to have begun in the 1920s. The practice began to decline in the 1940s, but many private schools still required bright-colored blazers. Virtually every color was worn. Black was the most common color as it was worn at many comprehensives as well as few prep schools and colleges--mostly day schools. Some colors like blue and red in various shades were particularly common.
The blazers worn by English boys over time have been various colors. I believe that colored blazers became stylish in the 1920s after World War I (1914-18). (Hopefully our British readers can provide some information as to the early chronology of colored blazers.) Before that time, school uniform was much more drab. Colored blazers were worn previously, but mostly for sports and were not the normal, everyday school uniform. Blazers of every color including multi-colored stripped were commonly worn in the 1920s-30s. Colored blazers may have been affected by World War II (1939-45) when clothing rationing may have made more utilitarian garments necessary. Brightly colored blazers were popular in the 1950s, but declined in the 1960s. One factor was cost, multi-colored stripped blazers were more expensive.
The blazer was in fact worn by boys and girls. The child's gender did not affect the color of his or her blazer. All the children at a school wore the same color blazer. The boys and girls usually had different uniforms, but the blazers were identical.
All the children at a school wore the same color blazers regardless of age. At some New Zealand schools, the younger boys might not wear their balzers as commonly as the older boys--but this was not very common in England. The older children, however, might have blazers with special trim.
Most English school boys and girls above the primary level wore them. Many primary age boys and girls also wore them, but mostly children at private schools. The colors in part have been affected by the type of school. State secondary schools generally have plain black blazers, often with rhe school crest. Preparatory schools have worn
a much greater range of colors. I believe the wearing of brightly colored blazers as a school uniform looks to have begun in the
1920s. The practice began to decline in the 1940s, but many private schools still required bright-colored blazers. HBC is not sure, for example, as to the type of school pictured here (figure 1). One observer believes that because of the black blazer that the boy attends a comprehensive, almost certainly a state day school. HBC notes that the black blazer does suggest a comprehensive, but that such blazers were also worn at private schools--usually private day schools. The boy incidentally is the only one in shorts pants. There are at least two other boys with long trousers. One character has his longs pulled up, perhaps in a mocking gesture, although it may just be that he has
accidentally got his trouser bottoms caught in his socks. The main
boy, the one in shorts, looks quite comfortable, even happy. It is
clearly not hot, one child in the background has a parka style coat,
associated with winter. The boy in shorts has a shirt, pullover, and blazer on, so it is not a hot day.
Virtually every color was worn. Black was the most common color as it was worn at many comprehensives as well as few prep schools and colleges--mostly day schools. Some colors like blue and red in various shades were particularly cmmon. Other colors were more rare. HBC has only noted one sdchool, for example, where boys wore yellow blazers.
Boys almost always wore caps which matched their blazers. This was almost universal until the 1950s when caps began to decline in popularity. They were still commonly worn at prep schools until the 1970s and have not extirely disappeared. Some schools had blazers for the school day and special dressup grey suits. Usually theubwould wear the colored cap matching theit blazers with the suits.
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