Figure 1.--The Viyella wool-cotton blend shirts was one of the most popular grey shirtys worn by English school boys. The warm shirts must have felt good in the poorly heated coridors of many English sdchools. |
We notice a range of different shirt types being worn as part of school uniforms or other schoolwear. White shirts of various styles are perhaps the most common school boy school uniform shirt today. In some countries such as France, Catholic boys might wear their badges on the shirts. White shirts at many English and New Zealand schools were the dress outfit. Normally grey shirts were worn which do not normally show dirt as well. White shirts have since the 1970s become increasingly common in England, especially at state schools. White shirts are rarely worn by boys othe as part of a school uniform. Several countries, primarily England and former English colonies like New Zealand, commonly wore grey shirts which do not show dirt as well. I'm not sure when the grey shirts were first introduced in England, but it was probably in the 1920s as Eton collars began going out of fashion. Colored shirts are worn in many countries. These are often shirts meant to be worn without a blazer and jacket. They are usually worn open collar without a tie. Khaki is popular in many former English colonies, South Africa and the Caribbean Islands. Blue is a particularly common color. Rugby shirts are the horizonal-striped "T" shirts in bold colors with a white collar and partial front buttons. They were very popular in America during the 1970s-80s. They are best known as uniforms in Rufby football matches. A popular summer shirt style in England during the 1950s was the the Aertex shirt. HBC believed that this style appeared after World War II, but has not yet confirmed this. The Aertex shirt was usualy grey with an open weave material. It was almost always short sleeved and with buttons all the way down the front. nglish school boys in the 1950s generally wore Viyella shirts. The material was mainly of a wool and cotton blend (Viyella), making for a warm, rather heavy shirt. Whilst the Viyella shirts are still available, at about L30 per shirt, they cost much more than the more common L5 cotton shirts most boys now wear. These heavier must have felt good as until recently few English homes had central heating and the schools were notriously drafty places. While Viyella was the most common brand, a similar shirt was made and marketed as Clydella. Many schools have adopted polo shirts. They arecoften used as a summer uniform orvin tropical countries worn year round. They have become increasingly popular in recent years as school uniform has moved toward more casual styles. Many Australian schools have adopted them, at least for summer wear. While not a common style, a few schools in some coutries have used turle neck shirts for the uniform. They have generally been white are various shades of blue.
White dress shirts of various styles are perhaps the most common school boy school uniform shirt today. In some countries such as France, Catholic boys might wear their badges on the shirts. White shirts at many English and New Zealand schools were the dress outfit. Normally grey shirts were worn which do not normally show dirt as well. White shirts have since the 1970s become increasingly common in England, especially at state schools. As early as the 1960s boys at many state schools had an option as to whether they would wear grey or white shirts. Today boys at those schools which still require blazers and ties, usually wear white shirts even for ordinary school days. Only at some traditional, mostly preparatory, are white shirts not commonly worn. White shirts are commonly worn by secondary boys in many Caribbean countries while the elementary boys often wear colored shirts. Colored shoulder tabs on the shirts help to identify the different schools. White shirts are rarely worn by boys othe as part of a school uniform.
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Several countries, primarily England and former English colonies like New Zealand, commonly wore grey shirts which do not show dirt as well. I'm not sure when the grey shirts were first introduced in England, but it was probably in the 1920s as Eton collars began going out of fashion. They were clearly in wide use by the 1930s. Once they were commonly worn by most English school boys. Two of the most widely worn brands were Viyella and Clydella. They are still worn at some private schools in England, especially the prep schools, but by the 1990s not commonly seen at state schools. New Zealand boys have a seasonal summer uniform of grey shirt and matching grey shorts and commonly wear heavier grey shirts during the winter. They are also still worn in some areas of Australia, especially at private schools.
Colored shirts are worn in many countries. These are often shirts meant to be worn without a blazer and jacket. They are usually worn open collar without a tie. Khaki is popular in many former English colonies, South Africa and the Caribbean Islands. Blue is a particularly common color. Schools in some countriers like the Philippines and the Caribbean islands have adopted a variety of bright colors to identify the differet schools. American schools often wear white shirts, both for and polo style, as ell as colored shirts, particularly blue. Many other colors, however, are also worn. Many scchools may not havde a uniform, but incourage the children to wear certain colors.
Rugby shirts are the horizonal-striped "T" shirts in bold colors with a white collar and partial front buttons. They were very popular in America during the 1970s-80s. They are best known as uniforms in Rufby football matches. For actual Rugby matches they were worn with short grey flannel short pants. The grey school shirts worn by English boys during the 1950s included some with Rugby styling. This meant that the buttons only went half way down the front of the shirt. They were worn with ties like other grey shirts for everyday school wear. (White shirts with normal styling were for special occasions.) Repton and Litchfield shirts were similar. (Repton is another English Public school.) These shirts went out of fashion in England during the 1960s and are now rarely seen. They are still regular wear at many New Zealand schools, although HBC ia unaware of other countries in which they are widely worn.
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A popular summer shirt style in England during the 1950s was the the Aertex shirt. HBC believed that this style appeared after World War II, but has not yet confirmed this. The Aertex shirt was usualy grey with an open weave material. It was almost always short sleeved and with buttons all the way down the front. It has a collar button so that a tie can be worn. This is commonly grey, but can be in white or light blue with some preparatory schools using other colours. It is most unusual for schools other than preparatory schools to insist on these and schoolboys over preparatory age do not normally wear these types of shirt. This was primarily because ties were once required at most English preparatory schools.
Many schools have adopted polo shirts. They arecoften used as a summer uniform orvin tropical countries worn year round. They have become increasingly popular in recent years as school uniform has moved toward more casual styles. Many Australian schools have adopted them, at least for summer wear.
Colarless T-shirts were a very popular non-uniform American shirt, at first just for boys. They were first worn in elelementary (primary) school. We see them in the 1930s as formality declined. You can notvget more informal than a T=short unless you do not wear a shirt. T-shirts were much more common by the 1940s and 50s. At first they were mostly coloful striped T-shirts. The striped varied in width and color. They were primarily short-sleeves shirts and worn in warm weather, but we also notice long sleeves in cooler weather. There may have been some regional fifferences. We begin to see a greater bariety of T-shorts by the 1950s, but the stripes were dominant, Some boys had T-shorts with popular TV iluminaries like Hop Along Cassidy. And gradually other logo appeared on the shirts depending on the boy;s interests and tastes. Strips never totally disappeared. Gradully we begin to see T-shorts in secondary schools. Some high schools did not allow them. They were never as popular at secondary schools as in primary schools, but by the 1980s we see quite a few high school boys and some girls wearing them. They were also used for gym uniforms.
While not a common style, a few schools in some coutries have used turtle neck shirts for the uniform. We noticed a few prep schools in Englnd and New Zealand using turtle-necks. They have generally been white are various shades of blue. And of course sone boys wore them as a non-uniform garment.
English school boys in the 1950s generally wore Viyella shirts. The material was mainly of a wool and cotton blend (Viyella), making for a warm, rather heavy shirt. Whilst the Viyella shirts are still available, at about L30 per shirt, they cost much more than the more common L5 cotton shirts most boys now wear. These heavier must have felt good as until recently few English homes had central heating and the schools were notriously drafty places. While Viyella was the most common brand, a similar shirt was made and marketed as Clydella.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
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