Figure 1.--This advertisement also appeared in 1935 and shows the rather plain styles commobly worn by boys at French colleges (private schools). Notice the one military-styled uniform.

It 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.

Note: College in Francer, as it does in most countries other than America, refers to a private school--usually for secondary-age students. Some colleges includeded awide age range, including older elementary-age children.

Garments

Clothing adverts provide some information on the school wear in the inter-war era.

Caps

French boys appear to have worn mostly golf-type hats or flat-topped sailor hats. Interestingly, none of the boys pictured here wear berets, which would have been worn by many boys in state elementary schools.

Coats

As the illustratins are from winter issues, many of the boys wear coats. It apparently was expected that the boys attending colleges would wear suits, thus the coats are long formal styleds, not informal shorter jackets.

Suits

The boys pictured here all wear suits. The boys wearing also would be wearing suits. This suggests that the boys attending collerges would wear suits. Younger boys might not always wear their suits every day, but the older boys would. The two suits pictured are double breasted.

Sailor suits

One boy wears a sailor hat and sailor coart. It is likely he wears a sailor suit. While schools did not have a set uniform requiring a sailor suit, some younger boys in the 1930s still wore sailor suits to school. Sailor suits were much more popula before World war I (1914-18)

Military uniform

One boy wears a military styled peaked cap and coat. He may attemd a military school. Unlike the sailor suit, I do not think a boy would have worn this outfit to schoool unless ot was the perscribed uniform at a milatary school.

Figure 2.--This advertisement appeared in 1935 and shows the rather plain styles commobly worn by boys at French colleges (private schols).

Pants

Most of the suits are short pants suits, but often the parent could choose either short pants, knickers, or long pants--depending on the parent's predelections and the boys' age. The schools did not normally have regulations on the pants styles.

Socks

All of the boys wearing short pants wear kneesocks. They are all solid colored kneesocks. No patterns are shown. Most of the kneesovcks are white, there is only one colored pair shown.

Shoes

Only a few shoes are shown, both lace up brown oxfords. As it is winter no sandals are shown, but during the summer sdandals were very popular.

Colors

All of the boys wear very plain colors, either brown or blue. Boys at the time did not wear bright colors.

Advertisements

Here is the text of the magazine advertisments for French schools clothes. These garments would have been worn by boys in private Catholic colleges. I'm not positive yet what kind of ublications they were.

Réaumur winter 1935-1936 p 11

Collégiens:

Suit jacket for schoolboy, gilded buttons and palms, 8 to 16 years old and chest 0,78 to 0,84 m. Blue cheviot wool with long pants only. Superior quality, with long pants. With short pants, 15 less. Woolen cloth leather, with long pants. With short pants, 25 less.

Greatcoat for schoolboys, removable hood, gilded buttons and palms. Navy blue duffle 8 to 16, chest 0,78 to 0,84. Superior quality. Navy blue woolen cloth leather

Réaumur winter 1935-1936

Vareuses

12.35905 : 1 to 10 years old.

12.35925 : Pea jacket, double -breasted, 2 buttons, collar lapel,. Made in woolen fancy cloth or navy blue ratine. 1 to 10 years old.

Figure 3.--Not yet received

Aux Galeries Lafayette 1936

Item C : "for mid-season" pea jacket beautiful serge navy blue pure wool fully lined. Gilded buttons. Half belt in the back. Discontinued. Limited quantity. 3 to 12 years old. Pure wool ratine 3 to 12 years old. Officer cap navy blue wool, gold braid and anchor.

Created: January 28, 2000
Last updated: January 28, 2000