Figure 1.--English state elementary schools in the early 20th century did not require uniforms. Note the variety of clothes worn by these boys. While Eton collars predominated there is quite a diversity including lace collars, sailor collars, and one boy wearing no collar at all.

Boys at public schools and prepschools continued wearing the styles set in the late 19th century boys commonly wore peaked caps and Eton collars. Blazers were still mostly sports war. Knickers began to decline in popularity and were replaced by knee pants and long stockings. By the 1910s the short pants and kneesocks introduced by Lord Baden Powell's nasent Boy Scout movement had begun to make inroads at prep schools. State prinmary schools still did not require uniforms. State secondary schools, many of which required fees, did require uniforms, but tended to follow the styles popular at the prestigious public schools.

Chronological Trends

English school uniforms did not change greatly during the eraly 20th century. The styles which were widely adopted in the late 19th century continued to be widely worn in the early 20th century. The one major change was in trousers.

The 1900s

The peaked cap was commonly worn at both private and state schools. Boys in the 1900s wore the suits with Eton collars that had become so common in the late 19th century. The younger boys at state schools might wear a variety of outfits, including ruffled and lace collars and sailor suits. Boys in preparatorry and public schools as well as older boys at state schools usually wore jackets with Eton collars. The one major change during the 1900s was that the knickers commonly worn during the late 19th century became less common. Younger boys instead wore kneepants with long stockings. At many public schools, the younger boys wore Eton colars while the older boys wore regular soft collars. The ounger boys might wear kneepants and the oler boys long pants.

The 1910s

School uniforms did not change markedly during the 1910s, but there were some notable changes. Eton collars were still dominate, but some boys did begin wearing soft collars and ties. Blazers were still primarily sports wear, but by the end of the decade had began to be worn at prep schools. One of the most significant changes was the increasing trend to wear short trousers and kneesocks rather than keepants and long stockings or knickers. This trend was most apparenant in the state schools, but was noticeable at prep schools as well.

Types of Schools

Private schools were responsible for setting most of the uniform styles in England, with the exception of short trousers which were primarily introduced by the Boy Scout movement and eventually adopted by the schools.

Private schools

Boys at public schools and prepschools continued wearing the styles set in the late 19th century. Public school uniforms were still dark colored suits and Eton collars were the dominate style. Boys still wore knickers at a few public schools, but long trousers were becoming more common. Almost all boys wore peaked caps. At a few public schools boys wore boaters. Blazers were largely sports wear at public schools, widely seen at cricket matches on warm spring days. Prep school uniforms tended to be similar to those at the public schools. Uniform standards were somewhat more relacked at many prep schools. Group photographs from the era sometimes show a few boys dressed differently in outfits like sailor suits, although not as commonly as in the late 19th century when prep schools often did not enforce strict uniform codes. Mpst prep boys, like public school boys, wore dark suits and Eton collars. By the 1910s a few prep schools adopted colored blazers. Prep school boys commonly wore knickers or kneepants in the 1900s, but in the 1910s short trousers and kneesocks began to be increasingly common.

State schools

Virtually no state primary schools required uniforms. Some schools did, however, have the boys wear caps. There was still no such thing as a state secondary schools in the early 20th century before World War I (1914-18). There were grammar schools, not run by the state, but to which clever kids would win scholarships paid for largely by the state. The schools run by the state were "elementary" schools, which until the 1940s meant all-through schools for ages 5 to 13. These certainly did not have uniforms. The grammar schools did require uniforms, but tended to follow the styles popular at the prestigious public schools. Many of these schools used the public schools as a model on how a secondary school should be organized and run. Following the uniform standards at the public schools was just one example of this.

Garments

Boys commonly wore peaked caps. Boaters were worn to a lesser extent. Eton collars perdominated, although by the late 1910s, neckties had begun to appear. Most private schools had uniforms with suit jackets of rather drab colors. Eton styled suits were worn at a few schools, but one of the most popular styles were Norfolk jackets. Brightly colored blazers were still mostly worn for games (sports). Knickers began to decline in popularity and were replaced by knee pants and long stockings. By the 1910s the short pants and kneesocks introduced by Lord Baden Powell's nasent Boy Scout movement were being widely worn at state elementary schools and had begun to make inroads at prep schools. The prepschools were slower to adopt shorts because their focus was on preparing boys for the public schools. Thus uniform trends at the public schools had a great impact on prep school uniforms.

Related Links: Careful this will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but both sites are highly recommended

Apertures Press International Project: Pictures at schools in different countries and a book on British schools
Apertures Press New Zealand book: New book on New Zealand schools in progress
Boys' Preparatory Schools: Lovely photographic essay of British preparatory schools with some over 200 color and black and white photographs depicting the schools during the 1980s
School Uniform Web SiteInformative review of British school uniforms with some excellent photographs

Created: November 11, 1999
Last updated: January 26, 2003