Figure 1.--Here we see a well done up littkle French boy with a large tam. notice the French r=tr-color insignia on it. In contrast to the boy's elegant outfuit, the back yard is in a state ofv disrepair. Not what you would expect. The photograph was taken just after World War I (November 1919). Click on the image to see the message in French on the back as part of this photo postcard. We can not read it as the handwriting is difficut to decipher.

We notice French boys wearing several different types of head wear. The head wear most associated with French boys is of course the berets In most Western countries, boys primarily wear caps and hats. But in France, berets were important in the late-19th and early to mid-20th century. We also see beret-like Tam O'Shanters or tams. Tams were however while being worn by girls of all ages, but only younger boys. The Scottish tam was originally a regional type of beret. Traditionally, a beret would be worn tilted to one side, while a tam would perch straight on the head, but there is more of a difference, a tam was a larger roomier type of beret, probably to accommodate girls hair styles. Actually French boys did not wear berets as commonly thought, but we do note quite a number of boys wearing them. The beret has to be the most versatile head gear in history. What other head gear has been wore by little boys and girls, elite soldiers, scruffy Cuban revolutionaries, boy and girl scouts, shepherds, a president's nemesis, and many others. It is essentially a visor less cap--but the simple design can be worn for a multiplicity of different looks. While men, boys, women, and girls have worn berets in many different countries, no country is more associated with the beret than France. And in no other country did more boys wear berets than France. Berets were widely worn through World War II, but by the 1950s had largely disappeared and were no longer commonly worn. We are unsure why such a sudden fashion change occurred.

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Created: 2:40 PM 4/18/2024
Last updated: 2:40 PM 4/18/2024