Figure 1.--This is the 8 eme class at a school I think was called the Petit College. I think it was a private school. It is an undated class photograph, but was probably taken in the late 1960s. |
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Swiss schools did not commonly gave uniforms, although the smock was used like a uniform for many years. There may have been a few private schools with uniforms, but our information is still very limited on Switzerland. Swiss boys did not wear school caps like English boys. French-Swiss boys may have wore berets, but I am not sure how commonly. Swiss boys did not wear blazers. I believe, however, that many boys did wear suits to secondary school until the 1960s. Ties were not commonly worn at Swiss elementary schools. but they were much more common at secondary schools until the 1960s. Switzerland is a multi-cultural and linguistic country. Smocks were commonly worn by Swiss-Italian and Swiss-French boys, but less so than the Swiss-German boys. They were mostly worn to school. As far as boys clothing is concerned, the French speaking part of Switzerland was comparable to France. Regulations varied from school to schhol, but at amny schools it was compulsory for boys to wear a smock until 9-10 in the years 1930-1960, about one third would then continue up to end of primary school around 12 years. The style and colors of these smocks were left to the parents discretion, there was no uniformity but a wide variety in mainly three styles: back buttoning, side buttoning, and a pinafore style. Elementary schoolboys commonly wore short pants through the 1960s. Boys in German speaking cantons may have worn Lederhosen to some extent. Some boys switched to knickers during the winter, but others continuting wearing shorts. Boys commonly wore both short socks and kneesocks. Short socks were common during the warmer months. Younger boys wearing shorts in the winter might wear them with long over-the-knee stockings. In the 1960s long stockings were replaced with tights. Many elementary children wore close toe sandals, especially during the warmer months. These sandals were more common in the French (and probably the Italian) cantons, but were less c ommon in the German cantons. Sandals were not commonly worn in secondary schools.
We do not yet have much information about Swiss school headwear. Swiss boys did not wear school caps like English boys. We think German styles may have been the most common. Sailor styles may have been worn in the late-19th and early 20th century. French-Swiss boys may have wore berets, but I am not sure how commonly. We do see a number of children wearing stocking caps when the weather go chilly. These stocking caps may have been the most common style worn in Switzerland, but they were seasonal. We are not sure just when Swiss boys began to wear them.
We see many boys wearing suits in the early 20th century. Swiss boys for the most part did not wear blazers like British boys. Blazers may have been worn at some private schools, but we currently have no information on this. And we habe not yet found blazers in the photographic record. I believe, however, that many boys did wear suits to secondary school until the 1960s. These seem to have been formal suits rather than blazers. We note the younger boys at a Zürich school in 1928 nostly wearing suits, although few of the boys wearing neck ties. The boys wear knee pants and short pants suits. Older boys might wear knickers or long pants suits. I am not sure to what extent there were dress cods requiring suits or this was just the ways boys dressed at the time.
Ties were not commonly worn at Swiss elementary schools. but they were much more common at secondary schools until the 1960s. We note secondary students wearing ties with suits. These appear to have been ties of the boys' chosing. We do not note any school ties.
Switzerland is a multi-cultural and linguistic country. Smocks were commonly worn by Swiss-Italian and Swiss-French boys, but less so than the Swiss-German boys. They were mostly worn to school. As far as boys clothing is concerned, the French speaking part of Switzerland was comparable to France. Regulations varied from school to schhol, but at amny schools it was compulsory for boys to wear a smock until 9-10 in the years 1930-1960, about one third would then continue up to end of primary school around 12 years. The style and colors of these smocks were left to the parents discretion, there was no uniformity but a wide variety in mainly three styles: back buttoning, side buttoning, and a pinafore style.
Elementary schoolboys commonly wore short pants through the 1960s. Boys in German speaking cantons may have worn lederhiosen to some extent. Some boys switched to knickers during the winter, but others continuting wearing shorts.
We note a variety of hosiery worn by Dwiss school children. Swiss children commonly wore both short socks and kneesocks as well as long stockings. We note mostly three-quarter socks and long stockings in the early 20th century. Knee socks gradually became very common, Younger boys wearing shorts in the winter might wear them with long over-the-knee stockings. The popularity of the various types of hosiery varied over time. There were also some gender differences. After World War II short socks became common during the warmer months and gradually became more important. We see fewer children wearing long stockings in the 1950s and more children wearing long pants. In the 1960s long stockings were replaced with tights. Also we do not see knee socks very commonly by the 1960s, they seem to have been gradually replaced with ankle socks.
Many elementary children wore close toe sandals, especially during the warmer months. These sandals were more common in the French (and probably the Italian) cantons, but were less common in the German cantons. Sandals were not commonly worn in secondary schools.
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