Figure 1.--.

The dominant style of jumper used by schools in England is the "V" neck so they could be worn with ties. This style has been worn since the 1920s when Eton collars went out of fashion. Boys began wearing soft collars with the modern school tie. The sweaters needed to have "V" necks so that the tie could be seen. The "V" neck sweater has continued to be the primary style worn by English schoolboys through the 1980s. Many schools in the 1990s, however, are replacing "V" neck sweaters, ties, and blazers for sweatshirts with the school logo. The trend reflects the increasinly casual appraoch to school uniform in many countrues--even England. Cost may be another factor motivating this change.

Popularity

The dominant style of jumper used by schools in England is the "V" neck so they could be worn with ties.

Chronology

The "V"-neck sweater has been worn since the 1920s when Eton collars went out of fashion. HBC has no information on precisely when the "V"-neck jumper first appeare. It presumably was before the 1920s, but this was when it began to be commonly worn. Boys began wearing soft collars with the modern school tie. The sweaters needed to have "V" necks so that the tie could be seen. The "V" neck sweater has continued to be the primary style worn by English schoolboys through the 1980s. Many schools in the 1990s, however, are replacing "V" neck sweaters, ties, and blazers for sweatshirts with the school logo. The trend reflects the increasinly casual appraoch to school uniform in many countrues--even England. Cost may be another factor motivating this change.

School Tie

The school tie came to be the very symbol of a school. Although the school tie came to be a central part of the school uniform, it is fairly recent in origin. Even after graduating, old boys of a school would wear their school as adults to identify their school. HBC believes that the "V"-neck jumper is strongly associated with the soft collar shirt and school tie. We are not sure about the chronology of the tie. Certainly it became widely worn in the 1920s with the emise of the Eton collar. The tie may have appeare earlier alongvwith the blazer in the late 19th century, but HBC needs more information on this.

Colors

Most "V"-neck sweaters were grey. This was the standard color worn by boys in both state and private schools. Presumbaby grey becamr so common because it did not show the dirt. There were also many blue sweaters. A few schools use other colors such as brown, green, and red to match blazers and caps. Many schools in additon to the regulation grey or other colored "V" neck had white kumpers for cricket.