Figure 1.--This studio portrait taken in 1957 show what the French would have called a garçons modèle. Note the H-bar short pants.

After World War I French attitudes toward bringing up children changed. Children wre expected to have excellent manners and were often very carefully dressed. The style petites filles modèles corresponded to the desire of the mothers; quickly it was also applied for the boys. A French reader writes, "The nature of the relationship between adult and children changed substantially in France after the Revolution. It was a changed that occurred to varying degrees throughout Europe and in North america as well. The principal idea of this change , was that the children must be respected for their specific nature, that means they have right to the protection, affection, education; school compulsory without exception for all; child labor laws. Before World War I, the French children were well behaved and well dressed as well. The change in this attitude came after World War I. France during the War supported a terrible disaster, several millions killed and even more injured. Large numbers of children were orphaned and many more raised in homes without fathers. France was for a time in the hands of women. The problems these children faced became a major concern of French society for two decades. Child labor was forbidden, despite the economic difficulties. The idea developed that the children should be raised as children in their education, attitude, and clothing. And the result was that the women considered finaly their children as little dolis. The innocence; the affection; the juvenile look were the rules, Till the 1970s. These rules were widespread in France. To a certain extent these rules still influence the French mentality toward children to this day."

19th Century

French authors like Rosseau were a major force in the Enligtenment. One of the topics they addressed was the nature of children. A French reader tells us, ""The nature of the relationship between adult and children changed substantially in France after the Revolution. It was a changed that occurred to varying degrees throughout Europe and in North america as well. The principal idea of this change , was that the children must be respected for their specific nature, that means they have right to the protection, affection, education; school compulsory without exception for all; child labor laws."

Early 20th Century

The early 20th century was an optimistic period. Scientific advances created whole new industries. Major advances were made in public health. Industrialgrowth was resulting in rising incomes for all classes. Our French reader writes, " Before World War I, the French children were well behaved and well dressed as well. The change in this attitude came after World War I." Living standards in the early 20th century were the highest in French history.

World War I (1914-18)

Many believed that the economic interconnections in Europe made a major war impossible. They were wrong. Rising nationalist sentiment was too strong. The resulting War was one of the great disasters of Western civilization. Battlefield losses were horrendous. For most of the War, the French Army carried the brunt of the fighting on the Western Front. It was the French Army that stoped the Germany Army on the Marne and turned the War into a stalemate that Germany could not win. The Germans essentially broke the French Army at Versun. The French Army actually mutinied (1917). Marshal Petain stabiized the situation. The French Army was no longer capable of major offensive action, but did hold the line when the Germans launched their massive 1918 summer offensive. The War was finally won by an offensive carried primarily by the Americans, British, and Canadians. At the end of the War, northern France was devestated. France of the major combatants suffered the highest losses in terms of its population. Essentially an entire generation was destroyed and worse still, the foundation was layed for World war II and even more terrible war in which civilian populations would be targetted. And the French people because of the World war I losses and bitter internal divisions were illdisposed to wage another such war.

Post World War I Era (1920s-60s)

The era in which Garçons Modèles fashions and behavior were popular were the 1920s throught the 1960s. They brgan in the aftermath of World War I. Our French reader writes, "France during the War experienced a terrible disaster, several millions killed and even more injured. Large numbers of children were orphaned and many more raised in homes without fathers. France was for a time in the hands of women. The problems these children faced became a major concern of French society for two decades. Child labor was forbidden, despite the economic difficulties. The idea developed that the children should be raised as children in their education, attitude, and clothing. And the result was that the women considered finaly their children as little dolis. The innocence; the affection; the juvenile look were the rules, Till the 1970s. These rules were widespread in France. To a certain extent these rules still influence the French mentality toward children to this day." The wide-spread popularity of Garçons Modèles ended in the late-1960s. Here the Paris Student Riots (1968) caused a major shift in French attitudes.