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English boys clothes -- chronology Edwardian Era
English Boys' Clothes: The Early-20th Century (1900-20)
Figure 1.--Here we see children at the Great Yarmouth fish quay in Norfolk. The phohotograph is not dated, but we would guess was taken about 1900-05. It was not a postcard-back image which became very common after mid-decade. The children look to be about 6-10 years old. We are not entirely sure what is going on. We are certain the children did not catch the fish. We are guessing mum sent them to the fish quay to buy a few fish for dinner. Given the quantity of fish, perhps the children or their mother planed to sell some to neighbors. Notice that two of the four boys are dressed up in suits and three wear Eton collrs for this enterprise. We see this as rather dressy outfits to obtain fish, but suits at the time were standard wear for boys. The girls are more practically dressed in pinafores, also common at the time, although one of the girls does not seem impresed with the fish.
The fashions and life style of the late-19th century crossed over the turn-of-the century. There was still the same formlity and elaborate dress up fashions. We also note many of the same styles, but there were shifts. Both Fauntleroy suits and kilt suits rapidy declined. And the centuries old convention of dressing young boys in dressed notably declines. This did immeditely disappear, but was largely gone by the end of World War I and the beginning of the 1920s except for the youngest of boys. We do see one new fashion trend--tunics suddenly becoming important. Perhaps not important as America, but important none-the-less. Tunics were worn in the 19th century, but became especially stylish in the early-20th century. This was more of a class-based fashion in Britain than America. We see many of the same styles, it is more a matter of relative prevalence. As far as we can tell there was considerable similarity between the 1900s and at least the early--1910s. Boys mostly wore suits for everyday wear, not just when dressing up, although we do see some boys wearing sweaters. We still see knickers suits in the 1900s, but by the the 1910s we mostly see knee pants suits making the transition to short pants. Just the opposite was occuring in America. Girls wore pinafores over their dresses. Headwear was common. We do see the beginnings of informality, but this was not really notable until World War I began (1914). Many modern fashion trends propelled forward by the horrors of World War I and the need to mobilize the economy for the pressing War effort. There was a need to end waste and concentrate on the practical. Suddenly we see practicality becoming an important aspect of fashion. This was a shocking change from the formality and fussy fashion of the Edwardian Era. Another development that had a major impact on boys' fashion was Baden Powell's Boy Scouts which began to organize (1906). It had an important impact on boys' fashions, especially by the 1910s, also emphasizing practacality and not an inch of fussy formality. We do not yet have enough information to destinguish between the 1900s and 1910s, but have begun to address the topic.
The fashions and life style of the late-19th century crossed over to the turn-of-the 20th century. The 1900s is essentially the Edwardian Era. Queen Victoria died (1901) and clothes horse Edward VII became king. There was still the same formlity and elaborate dress up fashions. We also note many of the same styles, but there were shifts. Both Fauntleroy suits and kilt suits rapidy declined. And the centuries old convention of dressing young boys in dresses notably declined. We do see one new fashion trend--tunics suddenly becoming important. Perhaps not important as America, but important none-the-less. Tunics were worn in the 19th century, but became especially stylish in the early-20th century. This was more of a class-based fashion in Britain than America. We see many of the same styles, it is more a matter of relative prevalence. As far as we can tell there was considerable similarity between the 1900s and at least the early--1910s. Boys mostly wore suits for everyday wear, not just when dressing up, although we do see some boys wearing sweaters. We still see knickers suits in the 1900s.
Girls wore pinafores over their dresses. Headwear was common. School caps were particularly popular for boys, but there were other styles. Girls wore wide-brimmed, often straw hats, but there were also other styles. Another development that had an important impact on boys' fashion was Baden Powell's Boy Scouts which began to organize (1906). It had an important impact on boys' fashions, especially by the 1910s, also emphasizing practacality and not an inch of fussy formality. We have both family and school images to flesh out 1900s decade styles.
The 1910s: Edwardian/War Era
The 1910s was a split decade. Few decades exhibited such sharp fashion differences. King Edward died (1900), but his spirit and fashion sence persisted until the outbreak of the Great War as it was called at the time (1914). As with many social trends, the war changed everything. Some of the fashion changes begun in the 1900s came to fruition in the 1910s, especially after World War I and the end of the decade. We no longer see many Fauntleroy suit, lthough e do ontinue to see some Fauntleroy styling touches. And we no longer see kilt suits. And younger boys were no longer outfitted in dresses. These changes were largely gone by the end of World War I and the beginning of he 1920s except for the youngest of boys. Girls continued wearing pinafores over their dresses. Headwear was still common. School caps were standard for boys, but there were other styles. Older boys might wear flat caps. Girls wore straw hats, but there were also other styles. We still see boys commonly wearing suits, but by the 1910s more with knee pants than knickers. The knee pants were making the transition to short pants. Just the opposite was occuring in America. Knickers did not entirely disppear. We still see them at some private boarding schools. And we note knickers becoming more of a fashion for older boys and a sporty style for men, this did not, however, become pronounced until after the war in the 1920s. We see the beginnings of informality in the 1900s, but this was not really notable until World War I began (1914). Many modern fashion trends propelled forward by the horrors of World War I and the need to mobilize the economy for the pressing War effort. There was a need to end waste and concentrate on the practical. Suddenly we see practicality becoming an important aspect of fashion. This was a shocking change from the formality and fussy fashion of the Edwardian era. We have both family and school images to flesh out 1910s decade styles.
