Figure 1.--These brothers were photographed in Paris, but the portrait is undated. We would guess the 1900s. The difference in neckwear probably reflected a small difference in age.

We have noted French boys commonly wearing bows in the 19th century, but have little so far developed little historical information on this which was a common fashion in America, Britain, and other countries at the time. Neckties appeared in the early 20th century We see many boys wearing them, at least with suits. We note both neckties and bowties. Ties do not, however, seem to be nearly as widely worn in France as in Britain or even America. One of our French readers reports an aversion to neckties as a boy. Apparently other French boys shared their aversion to dressing up. There were alternatives. One of the most important was the criss-tie. We are not sure what the French term was. We also see German boys wearing cross-ties. Another lternative to the necktie is a kind of narow ribbon tied into a bow. I am not sure what the English-language term for this is, but the French call it ' un noeud papillon ', literaly " butterfly tie ". They are narrow bow-like lies worn instead of neckties I tend to associate these with the american west in the late 19th century, but perhaps I have seen too many Hollywood Westerns. I am not sure to what extent if any that they were actually worn in the West during the late 19th century. I have not noted modern American boys wearing them, but French boys did during the 1950s-70s. We note them, for example, advertized in a 1971 La Redoute catalog. They were worn at scome private schools and choirs. We also note another Western looking neckwear style--the string tie. Since the 1940s this has been worn in the American West, but rarely in the East, by both men and boys. We also note it was adopted at some French schools after World War II. We note a French school wearing string ties, proabably in the 1970s. I'm not sure why these butterfly and string ties caught on in France. Parents may have had sucg difficulty getting boys to wear ties, that this was an acceptable compromose. Boys for their part may have seen them in American cowboy films--making them more acceptable. This is, however, just speculation.

Chronolgy

Prevalence

We note some boys dressing up and buttoning their collar, but did not have neckwear. One of our French readers reports an aversion to neckties as a boy. Apparently other French boys shared their aversion to dressing up.

Types

Stocks were common nekwear in the 19th century, but we do not see many boys wearing them. More common were bows of different sizes. With the 20th century we see the necktues beconing standard neckwear styles. Bowties were also worn. There were a variety of other alternatives.

Bowties

We note both neckties and bowties in the early-20th century. This is about tge same time we see bowties in America..

Bows

We have noted French boys commonly wearing bows in the 19th century, but have little so far developed little historical information. Our 19th century French archive is still limited. Bows were a common fashion in America, Britain, and other countries at the time. We do not know when bows became an important style for boys' neckwear. We do note them in the late-19th century.

Butterfly Tie

Another lternative to the necktie is a kind of narow ribbon tied into a bow. I am not sure what the English-language term for this is, but the French call it ' un noeud papillon ', literaly " butterfly tie ". They are narrow bow-like lies worn instead of neckties I tend to associate these with the American west in the late-19th century, but perhaps I have seen too many Hollywood Westerns. I am not sure to what extent if any that they were actually worn in the West during the late-19th century. I have not noted modern American boys wearing them, but French boys did during the 1950s-70s. We note them, for example, advertized in a 1971 La Redoute catalog. They were worn at some private schools and choirs.

Cross Tie

One of the most important alternatives to neckties in the post-World war II period was the cross-tie. We are not sure what the French term was. We are also not sure where this style originated. We see Anerican boys wearing thus style during 1860s-70s. We are not sure to what extent thse cross ties were worn in Europee during the 19th century. Our European achives are much more limited than our American archive. We also see quite a number of German boys wearing cross ties in the post-War era. It was worn in other countrues as well, including America and elsewhere in Europe. We tend tonthink of it as a continentl style. the style, however, seems mist prealent in France and Germany. It was a style for boys and teenagers.

Neckties

Neckties appeared in the early-20th century We see many boys wearing them, at least with suits. Ties were not, however, nearly as widely worn in France as in Britain or even America.

Stock

String tie

We also note another Western looking neckwear style--the string tie. Since the 1940s this has been worn in the American West, but rarely in the East, by both men and boys. We also note it was adopted at some French schools after World War II. We note a French school wearing string ties, proabably in the 1970s. I'm not sure why these butterfly and string ties caught on in France. Parents may have had sucg difficulty getting boys to wear ties, that this was an acceptable compromose. Boys for their part may have seen them in American cowboy films--making them more acceptable. This is, however, just speculation.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing French pages:
[Return to the Main French garment page]
[French choirs] [French schools] [French school smocks] [French royalty] [French sailor suits]
[French youth groups] [Difficult French images] [French art] [French Movies] [French ethnics]

Created: 1:37 AM 8/27/2008
Last updated: 10:46 PM 2/5/2015