Figure 1.-- The image here is from the end-of-school-year show at l'école Bianco, a school in Constantine Algeria. The photograph was taken June 14, 1958. It is not clear to me if the rompers or a costume or the boys wore them to school.

We notice boys wearing rompers in the 1950s before independence. Presumably they were the French children living in Algeria. The clothes French boys wore in Algeria before independence seem comparable to the clothes worn in southern France. We have little information on Algerian boys, but as far as we know they did not wear rompers. The image here is from the end-of-school-year show at a school in Constantine Algeria during June 1958. The children look to be beginning primary stydents, probably about 6 years old. It is not clear from this picture if the rompers or a costume or the boys wore them to school. A website about life in Algeria before independence has considerable information about Constantine schools. The images show the younger children wearing smocks, but not rompers. Thus while boys may have worn rompers at home, there is no evidence they did so at school. A reader writes, "Is it possible that the style of wearing rompers in a colony was acceptable for slightly older children than in France." Here we are not sure. This may have been the case in some French colonies, but a review of the school photos from Constantine suggests to us that the children were not as fashionably dressed as in France itself.

Chronology

We notice boys wearing rompers in the 1950s before independence. This photograph was taken in 1958.

Nationality

Presumably the children here are French children living in Algeria. The fashions they are wearing are decidedly French.

Clothing Styles in French Algeria

The clothes French boys wore in Algeria before independence seem comparable to the clothes worn in southern France. We have little information on Algerian boys, but as far as we know they did not wear rompers.

French Colonies

A French reader writes, "In our Colonies the French children were dressed like children in France itself. One can see local children dressed differently, but the French children were dressed in French fashions and raised just like children in France itself. Of course the climate was a factor. in countries with tropical climates the boys might be dressed in sunner clothes all year round." HBC suspects that chronolgical trends in the colonies might be somewhat different as the most current trends take a little longer to reach the colonies. By the mid-20th century these chronolgical differences were only minor.

Constantine

We do not know what kind of city Constantine was. Nor do we know what the current name of the city is.

Constantine Schools

A website about life in Algeria before independence has considerable information about Constantine schools. The images show the younger children wearing smocks, but not rompers. Thus while boys may have worn rompers at home, there is no evidence they did so at school. A reader writes, "Is it possible that the style of wearing rompers in a colony was acceptable for slightly older children than in France." Here we are not sure. This may have been the case in some French colonies, but a review of the school photos from Constantine suggests to us that the children were not as fashionably dressed as in France itself. A reader writes, "After reviewing the noted website, I agree that in general the children did not dress as fashionably as French children. I also note that several boys wore knickers even into the 1950s."

End of School Celebration

The image here is from the end-of-school-year show at a school in Constantine Algeria during June 1958. A French reader explains, "The photograph here was taken during the party called " Fête des prix ". It is held at the of the school year. A party is organised and all the children are smartly dressed like these two boys and the girl. For this occasion many pupil-groups give a representation, such as a choir presentation, a skit (short play), musical performance, recitation, ect. The school head and sometime with the help of the mayor or other dignitary distributes prizes to the pupils who had achieved academic honors.

The Children

The children look to be beginning primary students, probably about 6 years old.

Romper Outfits

It is not clear from this picture if the rompers or a costume for the skit here or the boys wore them to school, presumably on special occassions. A reader writes, "It looks to me like these outfits could havev been the children's party clothes and probably not what they normally wore to school." The boys are wearing rompers at a time that the fashion had begun to decline in France, at least for boys this age. These boys are wearing a romper model called " Ensemble barboteuse " It was not a traditional one , but a two pieces model , with a puffed pants and a blouse . Practicly sure these rompers had suspenders , two buttons on each part of the waist, and crotch buttonning. These rompers didn't have a bow in the back. The question we have is whether these were costumes made specifically for this occassion or were they formal outfits the boys wore on special occassions. The fact that they are matching outfits suggest that they may have been made especially for this occassion, but mothers being mothers you would assume that the boys may have worn their romper outfits on other formal occassions.