Figure 1.--This advertisement appeared in 1935 and shows the rather plain styles commobly worn by boys at French colleges (private schols).
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Figure 1.--This advertisement appeared in 1935 and shows the rather plain styles commobly worn by boys at French colleges (private schols). |
Some catholic schools were called colleges. This did not mean a college in the American sence, but rather a secondary school. Some colleges had a broader program including some elementary school classes as well. These schools were referred to by various terms. Some were called an ecole libre even though they might offer secondary as well as primary instruction.
I have only limited information on French colleges, some available information from the 1930s and 40s suggests that uniforms were not commonly worn. Boys during this period commonly wore there suits to school. The younger boys wore short pants and the older boys longg pants, a few older boys wore knickers or event shorts. Some of these colleges did introduce uniforms, I believe in the 1950s, but cannot yet confirm this. Blue sweaters and shorts and white kneesocks were adooted by some of these schools.
HBC has beeb able to find little written material on Frebch school uniforms. A valued French HBC contributor informs us that drawn from memory he believes that that Frencg boys only wore unifirms at colleges. At primary school smocks were worn, either recommended or mandatory. Smocks were cheap, stolid and practical. They were were intended to
protect casual clothes (from inkblots to fights) and to hide differences between the clothes worn by the well to do and poor. He stresses the strength of l'esprit de revanche after the disastrous Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). So insteady of the fashionable British
uniforms (colorful blazers, scarves, caps, etc.), you see the French uniform was drab
and martial, looking like the winter uniform of a soldier or sailor. Long pants appear to have been more common than short trousers. The whole uniform was in drab navy blue, gilded
buttons, officer's peaked cap (instead of beret). I think that uniform lasted during
most of the 3rd Republic (let's say from 1871 to 1936), as I cannot find any trace
after. But in 1936 even if the uniform is going out of date, one can see that along
that uniform pea/reffer jackets are also sold in the sailor style. Remember that at the time of this uniform only the well to do could afford secondary tuition.
I t is interesting to note how boys in two countries so close together worecsuch dfifferentstyles of schools clothes. French and English adults dresses similarly, but the children dressed differently. School wear in the two country's was styledf quite distinctively.
Some information is available on individual schools, providing insights into school wear trends.
Images from Saint-François from the mid-1930s provide a glimpse of school wear atba French catholic in the 1930s. Notable is the absence of smocks, even by the younger children. The boys in fact wear quite varied clothes, including short pants and less commonly knickers as well as short pants.
Riaumont is a Catholic school in the northern France has a traditional school uniform. The boys wear a uniform inspired by the Spahis which were a unit of the french colonial army. The school has a Scout unit which also believes in a traditionally styled uniform.
Schools are a popular subject for French film makers. Several excellent films have been set in French schools. They often provide an accuare view of how boys dressed at these schools. Some of the best of these films have been set at boys' colleges, in several instances, boarding schools.
Information on several films is availanle.
This wonderful, but tragic film is based on the prsonal experiences of
Director Louis Malle's tragic "Au Revoir. Malle is a gifted craftsman who
directed another film illustrating French boyhood fashions, Murmer of the
Heart. It provides a good insight into 1940s French boys' clothing, but is also a very wonderful film which should be seen.
This French black and white movie from Jean Vigo
was released in 1933. It was a short film only 43 minutes. It depicts life in a French boys' college. There are boarders and day-pupils, I would say
between 9 and 14 years old. It is not a religious college but I cannot say whether it is private or public, but the fact that it had boarders suggest that it was a private sdchool.. The movie finishes with the revolt of four boys throwing things to the guests from the roofs during
the college fête. A precursor of the British public school movie If.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main country page]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]