Figure 1.--These Italian children in 1970-71 all wear back-buttoning smocks with white collars. Most with bows. Note that several boys wear long pants. The boys seem to be weaing smaller bows than was the case in the 1960s.

School smocks appear to have been commonly worn in the early 20th century, but HBC has few detais. Smocks were so common in Italy that we believe there were government regulations requiring smocks, but we can not yet confirm this. Mussolini and the Fascists took over in the 1920s, but we do not know to what affect they had on school clothing. There does not appear to have been one style that was worn at any one time, but dark smocks with large white collars appear to have been especially prevalent by the 1930s. Floppy bows appear to have been very common. Such smocks were commonly worn through the 1960s, but became less common for older boys in the 1970s. The style of smocks began to change in the 90s with front buttoning smocks bcomning increasingly common. We believe that greater variety of colors also appeared in the 1970s. Smocks are still worn in Italy, unlike many ther countries like France where they are now rarely seen. They are not as prevalent as formerly, but still common.

The 1900s

School smocks appear to have been commonly worn in the early 20th century, but HBC has few detais. Smocks were so common in Italy that we believe there were government regulations requiring smocks, but we can not yet confirm this. Most boys wore smocks with kneepants.

The 1910s

The 1920s

Mussolini and the Fascists took over in the 1920s, but we do not know to what affect they had on school clothing. Wearing smocks with short pants became common in the 1970s.

The 1930s

There does not appear to have been one style that was worn at any one time, but dark smocks with large white collars appear to have been especially prevalent by the 1930s. Floppy bows appear to have been very common.

The 1940s

The 1950s

The 1960s

School smocks continued to be commonly worn through the 1960s. The dark blue smocks with wide white collars and floppy bows appears to have been particularly common. Children began wearing mocks with long pants in th 1960s, but shorts were more common.

The 1970s

Smocks became less common for older boys in the 1970s. Some schools still required the dark smocks with wide wite collars and floppy bows. We believe that tnhis was espcially common at Catholic schools. The style of smocks began to change in the 70s with front buttoning smocks becoming increasingly common. We believe that greater variety of colors also appeared in the 1970s. Wearing smocks with long pants became increasingly common in the 1970s.

The 1980s

Smock usage varied greatly in the 1980s. There were many schools in which they were not worn or not commonly worn, especially in urban areas. At other school they were common for younger children. Some schools required them. Front buttoning smocks became increasingly common. We note many children weaing smocks without the wide white collars nd floppy bows.

The 1990s

Smocks were still worn in Italy during the 1990s, unlike many ther countries like France where they are now rarely seen. They are not as prevalent as formerly, but still common.

Created: February 19, 2002
Last updated: February 19, 2002