Figure 1.-- Here we see two brothers who look to be twins. Presumably they both wear sailor suits. The gaberdine coat was worn for both cold weather and rain. This must have been a rainly day as the pgotograph wa taken in July during 1928. Image courtesy of the PB collection.

The weather can get quite cold in Germany durng the winter. Thus we see boys wearing a variety of heavy cold-weather coats. We see German boys wearing a variety of different coats. In the early 20th century they were often worn with kneepants or short oants. We note different styles of overcoats like the boy here wears. We also notice trench coat style gaberdine overcoats like the ones commonly worn by British school boys. There were both single and double-breasted styles. There were also coats for younger boys. The popularity of the different styles have varied overtime.

Styles

The weather can get quite cold in Germany durng the winter. Thus we see boys wearing a variety of heavy cold-weather coats. There were several different coat sstyles. We note different styles of overcoats like the boy here wears. We also notice trench coat style gaberdine overcoats like the ones commonly worn by British school boys. There were both single and double-breasted styles. There were also coats for younger boys.

Accompanying Clothes

In the early 20th century they were often worn with kneepants or short pants, even in cold weather. Bits very commnly wore knee pants and short pants even during the winter. Thus many boys photographed during the winter in coats were wearing knee pants and short pants, Boys at the time usually wore long stockings or knee socks. Older boys might wear knickers. After World War II by the 1960s, long pants were becoming more common, especially during cold winter weather.

Chronology

The popularity of the different styles have varied overtime.

Age

Social Class

We are not entirely sure, but it seems to us that overcoats were primarily worn by ipper-class and middle-class boys. They seem kess common for working-class boys. Working-class boys more commonly various types of jackets. We see boys who look to come from affluent families wearing overcoats with ckassicl styling. These same styles were widely worn throughout Europe and in North America (the United Sttes and Canada). Souble breasted overcoats seem particularly popular for the younger children from affluent families.

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Created: 7:32 AM 8/18/2005
Last updated: 9:41 PM 1/20/2007