Figure 1.--There are two kinds of pinafores shown her. The girls wear dark colored tradutuional smocks. The boys who wear identical sailor suits, also wear identical pinafore smocks, to protect their sailor suits. This image is undated, but we believe it is a German photograph taken about 1910. |
HBC at this time has very limited informatuion on the duifferent types of pinafores worn during the early 19th century. Clothing advertisements in the 19th century often offered childrens and girls pinafores. Childrens pinafores were for both young boys and girls. Unlike dresses, there were at the time no pinafores styled just for boys. Both boys and girls wore the same style. For older children, only girls wore pinafores thus these were styled girls' pinafores. After the turn of the 20th century boys no longer ciommonly wore the traditionally styled pinafores now commonly assiociated with girls. We have, however, noted boys wearing some very plain pinafore-like garments. These pinafores did not have many of the features assocaited with girls' pinafores like shoulder ruffles anf back tying bows. We have noted these garments being worn in Germany, but assume that they were worn in other countries as well, although our information is very limited at this time.
HBC at this time has very limited informatuion on the different types of pinafores worn during the early 19th century. Some of the garments seem more like jackers or dusters that were front buttoning.
Clothing advertisements in the 19th century often offered childrens and girls pinafores, but we still have very limited information.
We have noted several different types of pinafores worn by children. Our information is still limited, but we have begun to develop some basic information.
Childrens pinafores were for both young boys and girls. Unlike dresses, there were at the time no pinafores styled just for boys. Both boys and girls wore the same style. For older children, only girls wore pinafores thus these were styled girls' pinafores. Theese were made from hard wearing fabrics and were designed to protecy clothes, Sometimes they were worn highly starched. White was the most common garment, but there were also colored smocks as well.
While the traditonal smock was a utilitarian garment, some could be quite fancy with frilly shoulder rugffles and large back bows. These pinafores wre made in finer fabrics than thd hard wearing fabrics made for the plain painafores. Some dresses wee actually made to be worn with fancy pinafores. The fancy pinafores were made primarily for girls, although we have seen younger boys wearing them in the late 19tyh century.
We have noted a few images of children wearing bib-front pinafores. Note for example the Gulick brothers, probably in the 1880s. They wear checked bib-front pinafores. We do not yet know how common this type of pinafore was. Nor do we have sufficient images to establish age, genderder, and chronological trends.
After the turn of the 20th century boys no longer ciommonly wore the traditionally styled pinafores now commonly associated with girls. We have, however, noted boys wearing some very plain pinafore-like garments. These pinafores did not have many of the features assocaited with girls' pinafores like shoulder ruffles and back-tieing bows. I'm not sure when they first appeared. We begin to see them after the turn of the 20th centiry. We have noted these garments being worn in Germany, but assume that they were worn in other countries as well, although our infornation is very limited at this time. We have noted these garments being worn as late as the 1960s in Switzerland. They were worn both at home and for school. Conventiins varied. Somebys might jusr waer these pinafore smocks while playing at home. Other boys might wear them to school.
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