Figure 1.--This English boy was photographed about 1910. He wears a tie with his Eton collar and a vest. He looks to be about 10 years old. Click on the image to see a photograph of his brother. |
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We assume that theese broad, stiff white collars were first worn at Eton College, but we are not yet sure just when they were first adopted. Part of the trouble here is that many of the historical references we have found refer to the Eton suit and not specifically the Eton collar. We do know that Eton collars were being worn at Eton College in the early 19th century. As the 19th century progressed, they became increasingly popular and were adopted by other schools as part ogf the school uniform. By the late 19th century they were very common as boys wear. Few English boys grew up in the late 19th and early 20th century without wearing an Eton collar. World War I was the turning point for the Eton collar. The War caused many to rexamine their lives and klife style. Pactical clothes which were usually more comfortable than pre-War fashions were widely adopted. The Eton collar continued to be worn aftyer the War, but rapidly gave way to comfortable soft collars.
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