Figure 1.--Here we see girls in an unidentified school near Chicago doing a demonstration. They look like primaey school girls. They wear romper gym suits, middy blouses with matching bloomer/romper pants. Often the girls wore white blouses and black or navy blue romper pants. These girls have a matching suit. The portrait is undated, but the mount looks like the 1900s to us. The studio was Feuerstein in downston Chicago. We suspect they sent photographers around to schools in the Chicago area. This does not looklke a city school.

We do not yet have information on rompers worn to school during the the 19th century. Amelia Bloomer invented bloomers in the mid-19th century. They wwre a curiosity and few women or girls wore them. At the time, relatively few girls attended secondary schools. When by the end of the century this was increasing, a gym uniform was needed for the girls. A popular outfit became a middly blouse worn with very full bloomer pants. We are not sure when they were first introduced. We think it may have been the 1890s, but we know girls were wearing these gym suits by the 1900s. We do have information on the 20th century. Middy blouses and rompers were a very common gym outfit for girls in the early-20th century in many countries. The outfit was largely the same in many different countries. Rompers for younger children became popular after World war II in the the 1920s. We do not see children wearing them to school. This only changed as pre-schools became increasingly common. So far we mostly see them in French schools and only boys wore them. Both boys and girls wore rompers in America, but not to school. As pre-schools gradually became more common, we begin to see rompers in schools. The earliest we notice this is the 1930s in France. Rompers became very common for boys in French maternelles through the 1960s. Girls continued to wear romper outfits for gym. Bloomers meaning the bottom part of rompers were very common gym outfits for girls, often worn with middy blouses. Romper suits for gym seem much more limited. We begin to see girls wearing romper suits with or without sailor styling. To a much less extent, boys in some countries wore bloomers for gym. We have noted this in Sandanavia during the 1950s. We have not noticed boys wearing romper suits for gym. We note this in American schools during the 1950s, but we are not sure when they first appeared, but by the 1950s they had replaced middy blouses and bloomers. Girls also wore short pants for gym, but the romper suits were worn into the 70s.

The 19th Century

We do not yet have information on rompers worn to school during the the 19th century. Amelia Bloomer invented bloomers in the mid-19th century. They wwre a curiosity and few women or girls wore them. At the time, relatively few girls attended secondary schools. When by the end of the century this was increasing, a gym uniform was needed for the girls. A popular outfit became a middly blouse worn with very full bloomer pants. We are not sure when they were first introduced. We think it may have been the 1890s, but we canot yet confirm that. Of course these outfits were worn with black long stockings.

The 20th Century

The idea of educating girls grew throughout the 19th century and was well established by the 1900s. Boys' education was still considered more important at the turn-of-the 20th century, but more girls were by then attending secondary schools and even university. Some countries were more advanced than others. Secondary school girls were wearing middy blouses and romper pants for gym by the 1900s. We do have information on the 20th century. Middy blouses and rompers were a very common gym outfit for girls in the early-20th century in many countries. While the basic outfit was fairly standard, there were a range of variations. And even after World War I these middy blouse/bloomer outfits contunued to be worn with black long stockings into the 1920s although the romper pants began to be worn above the knee. The outfit was largely the same in many different countries. Rompers for younger children became popular after World war I in the the 1920s. We do not see children wearing them to school. This only changed as pre-schools became increasingly common. So far we mostly see them in French schools and only boys wore them. Both boys and girls wore rompers in America, but not to school. As pre-schools gradually became more common, we begin to see the younger children wearing rompers in schools. The earliest we notice this is the 1930s in France. Rompers became very common for boys in French maternelles through the 1960s. Girls continued to wear romper outfits for gym. Bloomers meaning the bottom part of rompers were very common gym outfits for girls, often worn with middy blouses. Romper suits for gym seem much more limited. We begin to see girls wearing romper suits with or without sailor styling. To a much less extent, boys in some countries wore bloomers for gym. We have noted this in Sandanavia during the 1950s. We have not noticed boys wearing romper suits for gym. We note this in American schools during the 1950s, but we are not sure when they first appeared, but by the 1950s they had replaced middy blouses and bloomers. Girls also wore short pants for gym, but the romper suits were worn into the 70s.

Created: 3:52 AM 10/2/2012
Last updated: 3:52 AM 10/2/2012