Figure 1.--This portrait shows a black rubber rain coat and matching rain hat. The portrait is undated, but looks like the 1930s to us. Notice the school safety patrol patch which helps to date the portrait. The style was very common, we continue to see it in the 1960s although yellow became more common.

Inclement weather clothing, especially rainwear for children, appeared in the 19th century. Several developments came togerher at this time. First was the industrial revolution and avances in production and transportation. Part of the industrial revolutioin was the development and imprived uses of raw materials. One of these was rubber. Charles Macintosh, a Scottman, invented a practical means of waterproofing fabrics (1823). This among other things permitted the first effective rainwear. And about the same time in America and other countries public schools were becoming increasingly important. And in the 19th century there were no busses and cars to deliver children ton school--they had to walk. And in rural areas the walks could be substantial. We are not sure when the first raincoats appeared for children. We believe they were well represented in late-19th century catalogs. We know that most American children had raincoats which were mostly used to attend school by the early-20th century. Many also had galoshes which were roundly despised. (Boys tend to dislike anything that is complicated to put on or take off.) Of course city mothers could have supplied umbrellas, but most Amnerican moms are savy enough not to put an umbrella in the hands of little boys who saw it as a great sword-like weapon. Rainwear was almost always black until the late-1950s when colors began to appear. The first alternative color was yellow. Am American reader tells us about his rainwear in the late-1950s.

Chronology

Inclement weather clothing, especially rainwear for children, appeared in the 19th century. Several developments came togerher at this time. First was the industrial revolution and avances in production and transportation. Part of the industrial revolutioin was the development and imprived uses of raw materials. One of these was rubber. Charles Macintosh, a Scottman, invented a practical means of waterproofing fabrics (1823). This among other things permitted the first effective rainwear. And about the same time in America and other countries public schools were becoming increasingly important. And in the 19th century there were no busses and cars to deliver children ton school--they had to walk. And in rural areas the walks could be substantial. We are not sure when the first raincoats appeared for children. We believe they were well represented in late-19th century catalogs. Rainwear was almost always black until the late-1950s when colors began to appear. The first alternative color was yellow.

Garments

There are a variety of rainwear garments worn by American boys. We know that American children had rubberized raincoats which were mostly used to attend school by the early-20th century. They were almost universal at mid-century. There were differences in designs, especially the cap part. The classic style here seen we think in the 1930s was commonly worn. We continue to see it being worn in the 1970s (figure 1). Many children also had galoshes which were designed to protect leather shoes from the rain and puddles. They were roundly despised by most boys. (Boys tend to dislike anything that is complicated to put on or take off.) I never minded wearing rain coats, but I hated those galoshes. Thedy were primarily rainwear, but were also worn when it snowed. Of course city mothers could have supplied umbrellas, but most American moms are savy enough not to put an umbrella in the hands of little boys who saw it as a great sword-like weapon. We thought rainwear was almost always black until the late-1950s when colors began to appear. The first alternative color was yellow. It now appears that yellow appeared earlier than we had thought. One type of rainwear was oilskins, although they were not one of the more common styles for children.

Color

Early rainwear was black. Both boys and girls wore black rainwear. We are not sure about early mcintoshes. We note black oilskin slickers in the early-19th century. Runerized crainwear was also black. We are not sure why that was. Rubber itself is not black. I can recall as a boy in the 1940s and 50s that we all had black raincoars and galoshes. I think colored rainwear first appeared in the late-50s. Color rainwear was common by the 1950s. This is convenient because it was alsxoabout the time that color photography became common. The first color fpr children was yellow. This of course was much safer as it made children more visible to motorists. Gradually many other colors appeared and black virtually disappeared. Yellow has become a standard color for younger boys. Girls are willing to experiment with more adventuresome colors.

Personal Experiences

Am American reader tells us about his rainwear in the late-1950s.

Created: 5:37 AM 3/17/2010
Last updated: 3:16 AM 6/22/2010