Figure 1.--Here we see children dressed for school. The snapshot is not identified, but we would guess that they are English siblings attending private schools in the 1930s. At the time, virtually all private schools were single gender facilities. |
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We have begun to collect information on gender trends in various countries. England is particularly important as so many important styles developed there, both for boys and girls. America has been more important in influencing casual styles which are increasingly worn to school in many countries. Especially important are the pan-European styles which developed in the 1970s and are widely worn to school throughout Europe. We only have country gender pages on a few countries at this gtime. some information on America, England, German, and Russian gender trends. We have only limited information on gender trends for most countries, but we are gradually expanding our coverage. Here we should point out that in many countries, schools are coeducational and thus even in the boys' sections, there is information about girls' schoolwear. This is particuilarly the case in the country sections like individual schools.
American children except at a few private schools did not wear school uniforms. Children wore their own clothes to school. many schools had dress codes, but not uniforms. I think the dress codes were a fairly recent innovation, but am not sure about that. Girls wore dresses throughout the 19th century. They also wore dresses in the 20th century. This did not begin to change until the 1960s. Parochial schools generally adopted uniforms after World War II. This was not common in public schools, but in the 1970s some urban schools began to adopt them. They have gradually become more common, although are not generally compulsory. They are normally worn in primary and middle schools, but not commonly in high schools. Styles tend to follow British school uniforms.
School uniforms following British styles had very destinctive uniforms for boys and girls. This was true both in Britain and in the Dominions like Australia. An example is the photo here at this Australian school in the 1980s (figure 1). The boys wore pants and the girls dresses, often gym frocks, or skirts. This is the convention in most schools that we know of with uniforms.
China has a long history of education, meaning educating the elite and primarily for the civil service. And this mean boys. Girl were not educated in China. Of course this was the general pattern in the ancient world. As was often the case, boys taught at home might have sisters who were inckuded in the lessons. Unlike Europe, girls were not educated in Chuna until the 20th century. This basic pattern was even stronger in China than in other societies. The Chinese believed that a woman's virtue lay with her lack of knowledge. An educated woman would be more likely to questiin and argue with her husband. This basic attitide is why foot-binding was so prevalent among women and continued throughout the 19th century, at least among the upperckasses. Peasant girls were unlikely to be subjected to this because thaey has to work. The idea of educating girls did not appear in China until the arrival of the Europeans. European (mpstly British) andAmerican missionaries began foinding missions which included schools (19th century). They usually allowed girls to attend the schools, but even here many parents did not allow their girls to attend classes. The missionaries also founded modern schools including the first schools for girls in all of Chinese history. Huge changes came with the 20th century. Republican forces overthrew the Imperial system (1912). And the country began building a public school system. The chinese at first look to Japan as a model. Schools were opened all over th country. Fundin at first was limited. At firt many parents continued to keep their girls at home, especially in rural areas. The Government did not attack such deeply held social attitudes. Both scocial customs and economics were factors. And the chaos of the Civil War and World War II limited China's ability to build a modern school system. This changed with the Communist victory (1949). Along with huge economic errors, hum=man rights abuses, and wide-spread arrests and executiins, there was for the first time a dgree of order throughout the country. And China built a hige public school systems in which both girls and boys were educated. Unlike the Reoublicn Govrnment, the Communist attacked many traditional social customs, as well as many individuals who came from wealthy, merchant, or landlord families. And one of the traditions was attcked was not educating girls. Parents coukd get into trouble for not sending their girls to school. The Communist Party restricted leadership roles for women, but most other limitaions in women dusappeared. . The primary limitations on women after the Revolution was the result of Communist economic failure. The Revolution did, however, massively expand educational opportunities. And the market reforms began to create economic opportunities as the economy expanded (1990s).
There are substantial similarities between boys and girls school uniforms in England. Girls have adopted many items worn by boys such as ties and blazers. We are not sure precisely why this was, but suspect it may be because there was a long tradition of boys' boarding schools in England before the first girls' school was opened. The girls' schools apparently followed the examples of the already prestigious boys' schools. Besides the blazers and ties, girls wore the same sweaters that boys wore. Girls wore different styles of headwear, including berets and brimmed hats. There were of course differences. Girls always wore different headwear than the boys. Also they wore skirts rather than trousers. Here many schools for some reason had blouses and skirts for cool weather wear and light-wight dresses for warm weather. With very few exceptions, English girls do not wear trousers to school. There are a few exceptions. We have noted a few coed prep schools where girls during the Winter were allowed to wear cord long trouswrs like the boys. During the Summer, however, they were not allowed to wear short trousers. A HBC reader writes us that "In The Daily Telegraph newspaper (June 22, 2005) today there is an article about Broadstone Middle School which has now banned girls from wearing skirts to "protect their modesty" during activity lessons such as drama and music; all girls must now wear full length trousers to all lessons, even during very hot weather!" There were also differences in hosiery. Some girls wore grey kneesocks, but white ankle and kneesocks were very common. Also footwear varied. Although both boys and girls wore school sandals, girls commonly wore strap shoes. There were also sturdy school oxfords, but they were styled somewhat differently than the boys' shoes. Hopefully some of our English readers will provide us some more information about girls' school uniform trends.
Both boys and girls in france wore school smocks. Styles and popularity varied over time. Some styles were worn by both boys and girls. Other styles were destinvily for boys or girls.
Children wore school uniforms, both in the Tsarist and Soviet era. Boys wore military-style uniforms, basically a cadey uniform. We note some differenmces from school to school. I'm not sure what girls wore in the Tsarist era, but girls' education was generally neglected in Tsarist Russia. After the Revolution, girl's education was significantly expanded. Boys uniforms continued to be military uniforms, but more standardized than during the Tsarist era. The girls wore blue dresses, often with white pinafores. White hair bows were also common. These white pinafores and hair bows were especially common on special occassions, but we also see them on regular school days.
South African boys and girls wear distinctive school uniforms. The notice a range of styles, uniforms based on English school styles as a result ofcthe colonioal association. These English dtyles continuee to be widely worn. . Boys commonly wear collared shirts and short pants. The girl's' outfits are some what more varies. We see girl wearing three different uniforms: gym frocks, blouses and skirts, and summer frocks. . All three were commonly worn. While the girls' uniforms were distincr from the boys, there were many common items, including blazers, ties, and knee socks. Headwear was also destinctive, but no longer as common as it once was. Shoes are generally destinctive. The major difference between South African and Britain is that many South african children ca not afford a full school kit. Another difference is that many school children went barefoot. This is not entirely an economic matter. Many Afrikaaner children still go to school barefioot, both boys and girls.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s/a>]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
[The 1990s]
[The 2000s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]
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