Figure 1.--This Hartford, Connecticut cabinent card shows two boys wearing identical middy blouses. They are probably twin brothers. Their blouses do are traditionally cut, but without the three-stripe detailing. Note the high wehite dickey. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1910. Motice the center part hair cuts.

The classic sailor blouse was the standard shirt-like garment done with sailor styling. These blouses were made in many different forms and styles. The classic middy blouse had the destinctive sailor sytling and blouse at the waist with a draw string. Many were also made with button-on styling. We also notice shirts with with sailor styling, but these were generally for younger boys after the sailor outfits had largely passed out of style. The basic middy blouse had a V-neck front, often with stripe detailing, and a flap back with the detailing repeated. Many middy blouses had traditionally styling, meaning styled like naval uniforms. The U.S. Navy of course set the standard, but like other navies in the late-19th and early 20th centuries, the basic styles were set by the British Royal Navy. Clothing designers, however, game up with a wide range of styles and varied detailing. They were usually blue or white or a combination blue and white, but many other colors were also used. The traditional styling with three stripes on the middy blouse was a widely followed standard. There were both pull-over and button-up styles. Middy blouses were often worn as part of a suit, but they were also worn by themselves without matching pants. These middy blouses were the primary sailor garment worm by American boys. After World War I we begin to see sailor shirts. These were mote like shirts and not blouses at the waist. They were usually dome for younger children without shirt tails. Many were button on garments. While they were commonly called blouses, they were actually more like shirts. But the term blouse evolved into a shirt without tails for womwn, girls, and younger boys that had nothing to do with the bloucing that origininally gave the garment its name.

Sailor Blouses

The classic sailor blouse was the standard shirt-like garment done with sailor styling. These blouses were made in many different forms and styles. The classic middy blouse had the destinctive sailor sytling and blouse at the waist with a draw string. Many were also made with button-on styling. We also notice shirts with with sailor styling, but these were generally for younger boys after the sailor outfits had largely passed out of style. The basic middy blouse had a V-neck front, often with stripe detailing, and a flap back with the detailing repeated. Many middy blouses had traditionally styling, meaning styled like naval uniforms. The U.S. Navy of course set the standard, but like other navies in the late-19th and early 20th centuries, the basic styles were set by the British Royal Navy. Clothing designers, however, game up with a wide range of styles and varied detailing. They were usually blue or white or a combination blue and white, but many other colors were also used. The traditional styling with three stripes on the middy blouse was a widely followed standard. There were both pull-over and button-up styles. Middy blouses were often worn as part of a suit, but they were also worn by themselves without matching pants.

Shirt-like Sailor Blouses

Blouses were the primary sailor garment worm by American boys. After World War I we begin to see sailor shirts. These were mote like shirts and not blouses at the waist. They were usually dome for younger cgildren without shirt tails. Many were button on garments. While they were commonly called blouses, they were actually more like shirts. But the term blouse evolved into a shirt without tails for womwn, girls, and younger boys that had nothing to do with the bloucing that origininally gave the garment its name. These were worn by younger boys to about age 8 years. They were much more popular with girls.

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Created: 9:13 PM 11/30/2009
Last updated: 9:14 PM 11/30/2009