Figure 1.--This Estonian image is undated. We believe that it was taken while Estonia was part of Tsarist Russia. We would estimate in the 1890s or very early-1900s. Note the stripped dickey, a common style with Russian sailor suits. |
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Estonia has for years been part of the Russian empire, both Tsarist and Soviet. Estonia like the other Baltic republics were briefly independent (1919-40) until invaded by the Soviet Union in 1940. With the demise of the Soviet Union in 1992, Estonia once again became an indepedent country. Sailor suits were commonly worn by Estonian boys in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We note boys wearing traditionally styled sailor suits. This included both Russian and German styles. As Estonia was part of Tsarist Russia until the Revolution (1917), the sailor suits worn by Estonian boys were similar to those worn by Russian boys. We are unsure how common sailor suits were in Estonia. They seem to have been popular with middle-clas boys in the late-19th century. We think they were mostly worn by city boys and ethnic-Germans were a major part of the the country's urban population. We are less sure about ethnic Estonian boys in the countryside. Short pants suits were common in the early-20th century. An exception was sailor suits which could be worn with either short or long pants. The popularity of sailor suits declined in the 1920s, but were still worn in the 1930s. The German influence disappeared during World war II when Hitler ordered the Baltic Germans "home to the Reich". After the War, Estonian was again absorbed in a Russian empire and styles were generally the same throughout the Soviet Union. We see Soviet boys wearing sailor suit in the intet-War era. his surprised us as the sailor suit has such a upper-class and middle-class image. After the War, however, we rarely see sailor suits, both in Sovit Estonia and the Soviet Union at large.
Estonia has for years been part of the Russian empire, both Tsarist and Soviet. The Russins seized Estonia from Sweden in the Great Northern War (1710). This was before even sailors were wearing silor suits. Estonia like the other Baltic Repblics were briefly independent (1919-40) until invaded by the Soviet Union in 1940. With the demise of the Soviet Union in 1992, Estonia once again became an indepedent country.
Sailor suits were worn by Estonian boys in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. We are unsure how common sailor suits were in Estonia or how this changed over time. They seem to have been popular for middle-clas boys in the late-19th century. We also see them in the early-20th century and the inter0war era. They still seem common in the 1930s. We see Soviet boys wearing sailor suit in the intet-War era. This surprised us as the sailor suit has such a upper-class and middle-class image. The popularity seems to have declned, but we se quite a few boys wearing sailor suits in the soviet Union. The suits seem even mote populatity onthe Bltgics, presumably because of the German influence. The German influence disappeared during World war II when Hitler ordered the Baltic Germans "home to the Reich" (1939). After the War, Estonian was again absorbed in a Russian empire and styles were generally the same throughout the Soviet Union. After the War, however, we rarely see sailor suits, both in Soviet Estonia and the Soviet Union at large. Curiously they occasionaly appear in Soviet fashion magazines, but were rarely actuslly worn by boys. we suspect tghat the sakilor suits hat were worn were worn bu mothers who were capavle seanstresses.
We believe the origins were the popularity of the style in Russia and Germany, both countries hving a major influence on Estonian fashion. Estonia itself did not have aa nautical tradtion. We know that sailor suits were popular in cities, we are less sure about villages and rural areas. Our Estonian archive is still very small and thus we can nooy yet saaess popularity with any bsurity.
We think they were mostly worn by city boys and ethnic-Germans were a major part of the the country's urban population. We are less sure about ethnic Estonian boys in the countryside. Many Baltic ports were founded by Germans and participared in the Hanseatic League. This began when there were frew cities in the Baltics. As a result the Germn influence was important in Baltic cities, especilly ports. This is difficult to test out with the photographic record because we are not sure just who is wearing the sailor suits. We are unable to differentiate between ethnic German and Estonian boys. We can sometimes differentiate between the Slavs and Germans. The Baltic prople, including the Estonians are more difficult to identify. Ethnicity can be iften identifiedif nmes re availabke, but rlatively few of the images we have fojnd are identifidd. We can spot German styled sailor suits. During the inter-War era we see more ethnic Estinians in the cities and playing a major political role for the first time.
Estonian boiys wore a varuety of sailor garments. They seem the fairly standard garments wiorn throughout Wurope. We see sailor caps and hats. Many of the sailor outfits we see in Estonia was a sailor blouse worn with pants which may or may not match. Short pants suits were common in the early-20th century. An exception was sailor suits which could be worn with either short or long pants, but shor pants semmore common. As in both Russia and Germany, long stockings were common. .
We note boys wearing traditionally styled sailor suits. This included both Russian and German styles. As Estonia was part of Tsarist Russia until the Revolution (1917), the sailor suits worn by Estonian boys were similar to those worn by Russian boys. German styles seem to predominate in the inter-War era. The political changes seem to have affected styles. Ecen during the Tsarist era there was aerman inflience. Hre trade was a factor, The substantial German population in Estonian cities was also important.
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