|
Wearing sailor suits was especially common in France and Germany. As aresult they were often worn to school. It was perhaps even more common in Germany than France because so many French boys wore smocks to school. HBC know less about Italy, but believes that sailor suits were also popular there. HBC has noted sailor suits being worn to school in many other countrirs such as Poland, Portugal, Spain, and many other countries. Interestingly it was perhaps least common in England, the country where boys first wore sailor suits and which had the most poweful navy. This was perhaps school clothing styles in England were heavily influenced by the clothing worn at the private preparatory and public schools and boys art these schools did not commonly wear sailor suits. The sailor suit was also worn in America, but perhaps because of the British connection not as commonly as in Europe. The fact that girls began to commonly wear middy blouses was probably another factor. A few schools, mostly military schools had sailor suit uniforms, but for the most part boys simply wore it because it was a common boys' clothing style. The age of the children wearing sailor suits as well as the chronlogical popularity varied somewhat from country to country.
We have developed information on several countries where boys wore sailor suits. This was very common in Europe and the United States during the early 20th century. This was particularly common in Germany, but we note it in many other countries as well. We see a lot of boys in France and America also wearing sailor suits, but it seems more common in Germany. Curiously England where the sailor suit originated was not one of the places where it was more commonly sworn to school. Sailor suits were normally worn as a child's individul clothes and not as a school uniform. We have noticed very few instances in which the sailor suit was used as an actual school uniform. The primary exception here is Japan, but here the sailor suit was almost exclusively worn by girls. There seem to have been a few private schools in some countries which adopted a saior suit uniform.
The fact that girls began to commonly wear middy blouses was probably another factor. We know that after World War I that middy blouses became very popular for girls in America. We are less sure about the extent to hich girls wore sailor styles in Euope. A few schools, mostly military schools had sailor suit uniforms, but for the most part boys simply wore it because it was a common boys' clothing style. In Japan sailor suits were primarily worn as a girls' school uniform.
The age of the children wearing sailor suits as well as the chronlogical popularity varied somewhat from country to country.
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]
Navigate the HBC School Section
[Return to Main school uniform sailor suit page]
[About Us]
[Introduction]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Climatology]
[Clothing]
[Disease and Health]
[Economics]
[Freedom]
[Geography]
[History]
[Human Nature]
[Law]
[Nationalism]
[Presidents]
[Religion]
[Royalty]
[Science]
[Social Class]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Children in History Home]
