* classic Eton suits: England -- social class








English Eton Suits and Collars: Social Class


Figure 1.--Eton and some conservative schools continued using the Eton collar after World War I, but most schools and parents switched to the more practical soft collars. This boy was at Harrow school and not Eton. He was attending the annual Harrow-Eton cricket match. This photograph was probably taken in the late 1930s. A couple of town boys are snickering at the special upper-class uniforms of the public school boy in his formal clothes and top hat. The photo obviously illustrates the huge gap in class between the privileged boys at a public schools in 1937 (mostly sons of the rich and titled families) in comparison to ordinary middle- and lower-class boys who would have gone to state schools. To see a photograph of Eton boys at the match, click on the image.

Until relatively recently, fashion was primarily set by the aristocracy or wealthy class. The average person, who often had little disposable imcome, tended to wear utilitaian clothing, often with limited attention to fashion. This changed tadically in the 19th century when the new indutrial economy radically increased personal income and the size of the middle class. Many families which before could give little attention to fashion sudenly found that they had the income to dress themselves and their children fasionably. The Eton suit and collar was one of the styles associated with this development. The Eton suit was initually the style worn by the boys at an exclusive English "public" school. Mothers all over England came to want to dress their sons in this initially posh style. As a result by the late 19th century virtually every English boy was wearing the Eton collar--no mater how humble his background. The full Eton suit complete with a top hat was an entirely different matter. While the detachable Eton collars were within the range of virtually evert family--a full Eton suit involved quite an expenditure. After World War II, class attitudes toward fashion begin to change. Biys from wealthy families continued to wear Eton collrs fir a while, but the average English boy soon changed to more comfortable soft collars.

Fashion Trends

Until relatively recently, fashion was primarily set by the aristocracy or wealthy class. The average person, who often had little disposable imcome, tended to wear utilitaian clothing, often with limited attention to fashion. This changed tadically in the 19th century when the new indutrial economy radically increased personal income and the size of the middle class. Many families which before could give little attention to fashion sudenly found that they had the income to dress themselves and their children fasionably. Ironically in our modern worn, we find that many styles have emerged from the inner-cities among low income people. Quite a contrast with earlier trends.

Eton Suits

The Eton suit and collar was one of the styles associated with this development. It was one of the most widely worn style in the late 19th and early 20th century.

School uniforms

The Eton suit was initually the style worn by the boys at an exclusive English "public" school. The style is of course most associated with Eton College for which it was named. Actually many other public schools adopted the Eton suit. The boy on this page, for example, is a Harrow boy--not an Eton boy. Often there were only small differences in the suits to destinguish the different schools.

Suits

Mothers all over England came to want to dress their sons in this initially posh style. As a result by the late 19th century virtually every English boy was wearing the Eton collar--no mater how humble his background. The full Eton suit complete with a top hat was an entirely different matter. While the detachable Eton collars were within the range of virtually evert family--a full Eton suit involved quite an expenditure. After World War II, class attitudes toward fashion begin to change. Boys from wealthy families continued to wear Eton collrs for a while, but the average English boy soon changed to more comfortable soft collars.









HBC






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Created: March 14, 2002
Last updated: 8:11 PM 8/8/2009