Figure 1.--Many French boys wore very plain styling without detailong. Note the boy has no detailing on his very plain smock. We are not positive about the color of this boy's smock in the 1950s, but it was probably light blue.
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Figure 1.--Many French boys wore very plain styling without detailong. Note the boy has no detailing on his very plain smock. We are not positive about the color of this boy's smock in the 1950s, but it was probably light blue. |
Some French school smocks had pleats. Most did not have pleats, but some did. We are not sure when smocks were first made with pleats. The first pleated smocks we have noted were in the 1920s, but there could have been introduced somewhat earlier. The limited information HBC has on early French school smocks providees no indication of pleating. We have noticed pleating on both boys' and girls' smocks in the 1920s. By the 1950s pleating was reportedly more common on boys' than girls' smocks. The pleating on boys' smocks tended to be very large pleats while girls' might have larger numbers of smaller pleats. Some girls smocks used a gathering technique rather than pleats.
Some French school smocks had pleats. Most did not have pleats, but some did. We have no definitive information on the popularity of pleating in smocks and the opularity has varied over time. We have noted a variety of advertisements for pleated smocks, but avaialble images suggest that most boys wore smocks that were not pleated. In part, this may be because the pleats required ironing to stand out and it is unlikely if mothers carefully ironed the pleats regularly. Hopefully our French readers will provide some insights here.
We are not sure when smocks were first made with pleats. The first pleated smocks we have noted were in 1924, presumably they were introduced somewhat earlier. The limited information HBC has on early French school smocks providees no indication of pleating. The 1920s smocks with pleating still had back bows. We have noticed pleating on both boys' and girls' smocks in the 1930s, but the boys' smocks did not generally have the back bows. We have also noted pleated smocks in the 1950s.
One style of pleating was referred to as "empiècement à plis". Here a form of smocking in the "empiècement" was simply continued below the waistline as large pleats. Only boys' smocks had these large pleats began in the "empiècement". (The "empiècement" deals with the top of a garment. It refers to section of the garment just below the yoke. The yoke is a piece fitted around the neck or shoulders, or less commonly the hips, of a specific garment, and thus varying in shape. The rest
of the garment hangs from it. HBC has noted this term commonly used in a sewing pattern for rompers. Smocking and embroidery work is often applied to a garment just below the yoke.)
By the 1950s both boys and girls might wear pleated smocks, but the plearing employed as destinctive. The pleating on boys' smocks tended to be very large pleats with no now in the back. Girls' smocks might have larger numbers of smaller pleats. Some girls smocks used a gathering technique rather than pleats. This gathering technique was referred to as "empiècement plissé".
