Figure 1.--This photograph taken about 1943-45 and shows different smock styles worn in a Swiss primary schools. Notice the children wear a variety of light colors, including blue, pink, and ???. Ome boy wears a red gingham smock.

Smocks were made in many different styles. These styles varied by changing the basic elements of the smock. The most common smock for boys was paroabably the traditional French school smock, the solid color, back buttoning smock with sleeves that completely covered a boys clothes above the knees. There were other styles more like pinafores or aprons that didn't even have sleeves.

Style Elements

Many varying elements helped to make up the various smock styles. Some of the most important elements were:

Collars

Early smocks come with plain collars, or in many cases no collars at all. After the turn of the century, smocks with white collars appeared--of varying sizes. Some boys wore smocks, especially in Italy and to a lesser extent France, with wide white collars. The style of collar varied, but the Peter Pan collar became one popular alternative.

Smocking

Many early smocks had front smocking. This was particularly popular with French smocks.

Bows

Some smocks were worn with large bows. This was common in Italy as is still seen in Uruguay. I do not believe it was as common in France, but some French boys also wore bows with their smocks.

Closures

Smocks come both in front, side, and back fitting styles. The late 19th and early 20th century smocks appear to have been mostly back fastening. The patten now varies from school to school, but often boys' smocks were front buttoning while girls' smocks were back buttoning, but this is only a general rule. The style of white, front buttoning lab coats in becoming increasingly popular.

Sleeves

There were other styles more like pinafores or aprons that didn't even have sleeves. These smocks were very simple, inexpensive garnments. HBC has noted them in Switzeland, but I am not sure if they were wore elsewhere. They do not appear to have been nearly as popular as the more traditional smock garments which more fully protected a boys' clothes.

Length

Smocks also varied greatly in length. Some smocks were quite short, extending onlt a little below the waist. These would not even cover the short pamts that many boys in school smocks often wore. Other smocks might extend all the way to a boys knees. Smocks did not often extend below knee level--except for the modern laboratory smock style.

Style Names

HBC is not sure of the correct names for these styles, but has observed the following different styles.

Pinafore or apron style

Some boys and girls wore a very simple style of smock. They varied in construction, but were basically sleevless covers back and from with simple ties. They were inexpensive garments, but not commonly set as a school uniform. They were nmore commonly chosen by individulal parents.

Traditional French style

The traditional French school smock was a back buttoning garment with full sleeves and no special large collar. Some had collars, but not the large white collars commion in Italy.

Traditional Italian style

The traditional Italian school smock was a back buttoning garment with full sleeves. Its distinguishing feature was a wide white Peter Pan collar, often worn with a large floppy bow. Unfortunately HBC has relatively little information on Italian smocks as so few Italians have contributed to HBC.

Lab coat

The most recent school smock for boys has become the front buttoning lab coat. While girls still often wear the back buttoning style, the lab style is common for boys in Argentina, France, and other countries.

Created: December 15, 2000
Last updated: December 15, 2000