Figure 1.--Here we see campers at Camp Idlewild at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire during 1905. The boys wear British-styled peaked school caps, a "T"-shirt with the camp iniitial, and knee pants. American boys at the time wore knee pants rather than short pants. They were worn with long stockings which were dispensed with for camp. Note the stripe on their knee pants.

Clothing at American summer camps have varied over time. We believe that uniforms were common at early camps, although our information is very limited. I am not entirely sure why this convention was adopted. Camps were established well before the Scouting movement was founded. American summer camps were founded in the late 19th century. We know virtually nothing about these early camps, including the clothes worn at camp, until the turn of the 20th century. We note one early 20th century camp that had a uniform of a British-styled peaked school cap, a "T"-shirt with the camp iniitial, and knee pants. These caps were worn at some private schools at the time. We know more about the camps after World War I (1914-18). Boys commonly wore monogrammed "T"-shirts, short pants, and often knee socks. For some reason the shorts often had side stripes. After World War II (1939-45) the knee socks became less common, except at Scout camps, but T-shirts and short pants were still common. By the 1960s, camp uniforms were declining in popularity, except at Scout camps, campers mostly wore their own individual clothes. Since this time, clothing at camps have generally followed overall trends in casual clothing.

Created: 2:56 AM 7/4/2007
Last updated: 2:56 AM 7/4/2007