Figure 1.--Note the variety of collars in this school photograph taken about 1925. One boy looks to be wearing an Eton collar with a kinf of string boy, another boy wears a sailor collar, and the other a wide open collar.

Belgian schoolboys over the years have worn a wide variety of styles and garments. Boys in the late 19th century generally wore kneepants. Sailor suits were very common. Many boys wore smocks. Fauntleroy suits were popular with mothers, but probably not commonly worn to school. Short pants began to be worn in the 1900s with the advent of the Scout movement. School uniforms were not common in Belgium and as a result svhoolwear is generally a reflection of ordinary boys' clothes. Some private Catholic schools did require uniforms. Boys have worn many different types of clothes to school. Most boys into the 1960s wore short pants, but knickers were also worn until the 1950s. Sailor suits were still popular, although not as much as at the turn of the century. Many types of hosiery were worn. Boys wore both ankle and kneesocks. White socks were popular. Some boys wore long over the knee stockings. Shorts were very commonly worn by the 1920s. Older boys might wear knickers. Smocks were commonly worn by school children through the 1940s.

Headgear

Behgian boys ike French boys wore berets. They went out of fashion, however, after World WarII. Sailor hats of varying styles were common in the years before World Wat I (1914-18). Sailor suits were still worn after the War, but sailor hats and caps were not nearly as common. After World War II, Catholic schools in French speaking Belgium adopted a new style of cap, similary to military caps worn by some during the War. The cap was called "une toque". It was commonly worn from 1950-70. It was also adopted by a few choir groups as part of their uniform. Interstingly it wasimilar to the caps worn by the Young Pioneers in Communist countrues.

Smocks

HBC believes that smock became common in Belgium at about the same time as in France--the 1870s. Little information is available at this time on Belgian smocks. HBC believes that the styles and popularity was similar in France and Belgium, at least among French speakers. I'm not sure to what extent smocks were worn in Flanders. Smocks were commonly worn by school children through the 1940s.

Figure 2.--A few boys in this class wore knicker suits. Most of the boys, including the boys wearing sailor suits, wore short pants and kneesocks.

Suits

Many boys before World War II (1939-45) still dressed formally. Boys wore kneepants, short pants, knicker, and longbpamts suits to school. They wore both the single and double breasted style. Sone boys wore suits with very small jackets.

Kneepants

Boys in the late 19th century generally wore kneepants.

Short pants

Short pants began to be worn in the 1900s with the advent of the Scout movement. They were wide worn by boys into the 1960s.

Knickers

Boys also wore knickers in the first half of the 20th century. Often they were worn by older boys, but some younger boys had knicker suits as well. Short pants, however, were more popular for the younger boys.

Long pants

Generally only older boys wore long pants in the fit\rstvhalf of the 20th century. In the 1960s it began to be more commn for younger boys to wear long pants.

Sailor Suits

Sailor suits were very common in the late 19th and early 20th century. We believe that boys very commonly wore them to school, even younger teengaers. They declined in popularity after World War I (1914-18), but were still widely worn in the 1920s. Most boys wore kneepants or short pants sailor suits. Sailor suits with knickers were lesscommon. They were normally worn with long stockings or kneesocks. Both blue and white suits were worn. They was a much wider variety of styling than was common in America.

Fauntleroy Suits

Fauntleroy suits were popular with mothers, but probably not commonly worn to school.

Hoisery

Many types of hosiery were worn. Boys wore both ankle and kneesocks. White socks were popular. Some boys wore long over the knee stockings. One school photograph from the 1920s shows only one boy wearing over the knee stockings. I'm not sure if this was because the weather was warm or because it was not a popular style. Many boys wore whiteankle and kneesocks.

Shoes

Most Belgian boys wore leather shoes to school. Sandals do not appear to have been very popular.

Figure 3.--Thecopen collared shirt style seemed popular at this school, even weith boys wearing suits. The boy on the right, whonseems tinhave won a prize, wears plus-fours.

Actual School Uniforms

School uniforms were not common in Belgium and as a result shoolwear is generally a reflection of ordinary boys' clothes. Some private Catholic schools did require uniforms. They were generally quite simple uniforms, sweaters, white shirt, short pants and kneesocks. Elaborate school uniforms as worn in Britain were not common,