Vintage American Middy Blouse: Girls' Camp Uniform (1940s)


Figure 1.--This is the front of the girls' Camp Kehonka middy blouse uniform worn during the 1940s. Campers purchased it at Best & Co.

We note a 1940s middy blouse found at the estate sale for Camp Kehonka which was a popular girl's camp in New Hampshire. The middy blouse is blue with white detailing. I am not sure what kind of bottoms the girls wore, By the 1940s it might have been shorts, earlier it may have been bloomers. The label reads "Best & Co. Fifith Ave, N.Y." Private summer camps commonly had uniforms. Campers would ge their uniforms from department stores, just like buting school uniforms, The name of the owner is also sewn in. The middy blouse measures 20 1/2" shoulder to hem and 18" across the bust. I would estimate this to be approximately a child's size 7.

Middy Blouse

We note a 1940s middy blouse found at the estate sale for Camp Kehonka which was a popular girl's camp in New Hampshire. The middy blouse is blue with white detailing. I am not sure what kind of bottoms he girls wore, By the 1940s it might have been shorts, earlier it may have been bloomers. The name of the owner is also sewn in, a popular measure for ensuring that items didn't get lost--essential at camps where uniforms were worn. The middy blouse measures 20 1/2" shoulder to hem and 18" across the bust. I would estimate this to be approximately a child's size 7.

Best & Company

The label reads "Best & Co. Fifith Ave, N.Y." Private summer camps commonly had uniforms. Campers would get their uniforms from department stores, just like buting school uniforms. This was one of the New York stores that eventually went national.

American Summer Camps

The Americam summer camp movement began in the late 19th century. We believe that America was a leader in the summer camp movement. Many private summer camps were set up in the northeast. Some counties like American and France had programs to provide summer camp experiences to poor children, variously supported by private charities. The uidea was to get city kids out in the fresg air and sunshine. The YMCA and later the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts played major roles. Many private camps were also founded.


Figure 2.--This is the back of the uniform.

Summer Camp Uniforms

It was very common at these camps to wear uniforms. I'm not sure why uniforms were so commonly adopted at camps. Both boys and girls wore uniforms. Middy blouses were very popular for the girls; uniforms, but to my knowledge were never worn by the boys. Girls at first commonly wore bloomers with their middy blouses. these middy blouses. We note one example of a girl at a camp from the 1930s. This was at the time the style of gym suits used a most high schools. Bloomer camp uniforms were common through the 1930s, but by the 1940s short pants were becoming increasingly common.






HGC




Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main vintae sailor suit page]
[Return to the Main girl's page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronologies] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Essays] [Girls] [Theatricals]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Satellite sites] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]




Created: May 28, 2004
Last updated: May 28, 2004