Figure 1.--Thee two brothes wear knitted sweaters, perhaps knitted by grabdmother. We are not sure when the portrait was taken. The dealer thought the 1920s. We think the 30s is more likely, even the 40s. The studio was Bidart in Bruxelles.

Belgian boys wore the standard cold weather garments worn throughout northern Europe, basically the same clothes worn in northern France and the Netherlands with some German influence. Unlike the United states we do not notice coldweather caps, except for stocking caps. We of course notice a range of coats and jackets. Belgium located in northern Europe has cold winters. Thus boys needed warm winter coats as well as jackets for cool weather. We d not notice any destinctive coat styles. As in other fashion areas, Belgian fashions were very sililar to French fashions with influences from the Netherlands and Germany, especially in Flanders. We are just beginning to acquire information on Belgian coats. Belgian boys during the 1920s began wearing sweaters, which tended to to be made longer than now, over their pants--usuallly short pants. We have observed this same convention in other countries--including France, Germany, and the Netherlands. We do not know why this convention developed. Later the sweaters became more shorter and were cut at the waist and often tucked inside the pants. Many sweaters were knitted by mothers and grandmothers and not actually bought in stores. Magazines commonly carried knitting patterns. Many different styles and types of sweaters were worn. The were wrn by both French and Dutch speaking Belgian boys. We are not sire if there were notable stylistic differences between the two groups. We note other items like long stockings and leggings.

Headwear

Unlike the United states we do not notice cold weather caps, except for stocking caps. Boys might wear flat caps, some had ear flaps. Berets might also be worn for cold weather . Some could be pulled over the ears. We also see stocking caps.

Coats

Belgium located in northern Europe has cold winters. Thus boys needed warm winter coats as well as jackets for cool weather. We d not notice any destinctive coat styles. As in other fashion areas, Belgian fashions were very sililar to French fashions with influences from the Netherlnds and Germany, especially in Flanders. We are just beginning to acquire information on Belgian coats. Berets might also be worn for cold weather. Some could be pulled over the ears.

Capes

We see some Belgian children wearing capes. They were a winter cold weather garment. Capes are a garment we do not know much about. It was aarment that was not very important in America. and we do not see many examples in England as well. We do see children on the Continent wearing capes. We do not know why this fashion divergence exusted. We do see caped coats in America and England, but capes for chilkdren were less common, especially for boys. We think that it was primarily a 19th century garment. Both boys and girls wore them. Most of the examples we have found are French where we see scholl children wearing them into the the mid-20th century. Belgian was a country strongly unfluenced by French fashions. anbd we have found images of Beliian children wearing capes during the winter. We are not sure how common theyu were yet, bit they appear more common than in america and England. Our 19th century Belgian archive is limited, so we are not yet sure about prevalence.

Sweaters

Belgian boys during the 1920s began wearing sweaters, which tended to to be made longer than now, over their pants--usuallly short pants. We have observed this same convention in other countries--including France, Germany, and the Netherlands. We do not know why this convention developed. Later the sweaters became more shorter and were cut at the waist and often tucked inside the pants. Many sweaters were knitted by mothers and grandmothers and not actually bought in stores. Magazines commonly carried knitting patterns. Many different styles and types of sweaters were worn. The were wrn by both French and Dutch speaking Belgian boys. We are not sire if there were notable stylistic differences between the two groups.

Long Stockings

We do not yet have information about long over-the- knee stockings in Belgium during the early- and mid-19th century. We believe they long stockings began to be worn in the mid-19th centiury, but we do not yet have phptograohiv images from thast period and can not yet confirm how common thery were. We do have iunformtion on the late-19th century. Long stockings appear to have been common in the late-19th century. were common in the late-19th century, especially during the cold winter months. HBC still has very limited information on Belgian 19th century hosiery styles. We believe that long over-the-knee stockings were common, although like in France, not as common in America. This may have especially been the case in the winter. Long stockings were worn both for warmth and as dress or formal wear. Most of the images we have found are boiys wearing long stockings as part of formal dress up outfits. Our Belgian archive is limited so we can not yet make any firm assessments about long stocking trends. We note that Belgian boys commonly wore long dark stovkings for church and other formal occassions even after knee socks became prevalent in the 1920s. Through the 1920s, boys always wore black or other dark rather than white stockings. As with much else, we believe that they generally followed French styles, although Dutch and German styles may have been important in Flanders. We have very little information on color. Black long stockings were commonly won for formal wear. We notice striped long stockings. in the 1870s, but do not yet have much information on them.

Leggings

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Created: 8:59 AM 2/14/2015
Last updated: 9:02 AM 8/18/2015