Figure 1.--These German children are enjoying the sea beach in Northern Germany. I assume it is the Baltic coast. I would guess this photograph was taken about 1920. This was a black and white photograph. A HBC has colorized the image with some likely colors. We suspect that this comes very close to what the colors actually might have been, although we are not sure about mother's hat. Image courtesy of the PB collection.

We note German boys wearing a wide range of outfits to the beach. Of course this varied over time. Beachwear in the 19th and early 20th century did not always mean swimwear. We see outfits like tunic suits and sailor suits. Hats of course were very important. The swimsuits seem very similar to those worn in other European countries. As in other countries, boys did not always wear swimsuits for beachwear when playing in the sand or engaged in other beach-front activities. The sailor suit was a very popular garment for beachwear during the early 20th century. Often boys took off their shoes and stockings for playing and wading on the beach, but often they wore long stockings when not actually playing in the sand and sometimes when they were playing. Boys of course worn many other outfits besides sailor suits. These styles varied over time, but almost all of our seaside beach images comes from the 20th century.

Outfits

We note German boys wearing a wide range of outfits to the beach. We see outfits like tunic suits and sailor suits. Both garments were common in other countries. Some of the German tunics were quite destinctive. Sailor suits for beach wear seem to be primarily traditional styles. Hats of course were very important. Beachwear could be realtively formal, especially before World war I. The swimsuits seem very similar to those worn in other European countries. As in other countries, boys did not always wear swimsuits for beachwear when playing in the sand or engaged in other beach-front activities. Often boys took off their shoes and stockings for playing and wading on the beach, but often they wore long stockings when not actually playing in the sand and sometimes when they were playing.

Chronolgical Trends

Of course beach wear varied over time. As beach vacations began to become popular, we see beach fashions appearing. Beachwear in the 19th and early 20th century did not always mean swimwear. We see Germans wearing a wide range of styles to the beach. The outfits often seem rather formal, especially beachwear befire World War I. Many outfits were not specifically beachwear, but rather popular syyles that were commonly worn at the beach. The sailor suit was a very popular garment for beachwear during the early 20th century. Boys of course worn many other outfits besides sailor suits. These styles varied over time, but almost all of our seaside beach images comes from the 20th century. After World War I especially by the 1930s increasingly became swimwear. This same trend occurred in other countries as well.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits] [Rompers] [Tunics] [Smocks] [Pinafores]

Created: 7:04 AM 7/21/2005
Last updated: 7:08 PM 3/28/2006