Figure 1.--This boy at Margate wears a classic wool middy blouse and sailor suit. Notice the lanyard. The portrait is undated, but was probably taken in the 1900s. Margate is a popular seaside resort in eastern Kent. Many seaside resorts had beach styled back drops, but not this one. The sailor suit was of course a popular style to wear at seaside resorts. The portrait was taken in 1900.

We have noticed three basic styles of middy blouses. The classic middy blouse is a pull-over garment with a "V"-front collar and back flap. This is the garment most associated with sailor styling. Traditionally middy blouses were detailed with stripes, but this was not always the case. They were based on the Royal Navy uniforms. Some diverged from the traditional uniform suit, but the great bulk of these blouses were based on Royal Navy styles or were stronly influenced by it. We note other collars as well, bit they were not nearly as common as the traditional uniform styles. Some middy blouses had pointed collars. This seem to have been a style brifly worn in the very late-19th century. We also notice middy blouses without collars, but a square neck opening. This was a more casual, summer style. We see quite a few boys wearing these blouses in the early 20th century.

Classic "V"-front Middy Blouse

The V-frt collar is the most destinctive feature of sailor bouses. And it is immediately recognized as both a naval uniform and a popular child clothing style. The classic middy blouse is a pull-over garment with a "V"-front collar and back flap. The blouses were also made with button-up fronts. Both the front-"V" and the back flap were essential elements of these blouses. The detailing on the front-"V" was continued on the back flap. This is the garment most associated with sailor styling. The V-collars were done in a dizzing variety of ways. Traditionally middy blouses were detailed with stripes. This was normally three stripes, but we have seen other numbers as well as well as different ways of presenting them. Stripes were most commonly used for detailing. This was not always the case, but they were the most common detailing device. The stripes were based on the Royal Navy uniforms. Some diverged from the traditional uniform suit, but the great bulk of these blouses were based on Royal Navy styles or were stronly influenced by them. Some mothers diverged from the staid, traditional stripes and came up with fancier blouses. This seems to have been more common in America than England. We also notice collars without stripes. Some of the collars were just plain. Others had added decoration such as ruffles. This was especially common with tunic suits. All of the various collar decorations constituted, however, only a fraction of the collars done with stripes. In addition tp the collar device itself, there was also variation as to how the area within the the V-cut wa treated.

Pointed-Collar Blouse

We note Middy blouse collars other than the classic "V"-front collars as well, but they were not nearly as common as the traditional uniform styles. Some middy blouses had pointed collars. We are unsure as to the origins of this blouse style. This seem to have been a style brifly worn in the very late-19th century. We are not precisely sure when they first appeared. We also notice them in America, but not many other countries. American blouses had stars and other decorations. We have not yet noted that in England, but our archive is very limited. The"V"-front collar is not entrenched as a the sailor blouse, that these pointed-collar blouses are often not recognized as a sailor style.

Square-neck Openings

We also notice middy blouses without collars, but a square neck opening. This was a popular style at the turn-of-the20tgh century. This was a more casual, summer style. We see quite a few boys wearing these blouses in the early-20th century. We see other European boys wearing these blouses, but they were not very popular in America.

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Created: 11:08 PM 6/11/2008
Last updated: 10:36 PM 10/18/2016