Figure 1.--These German children were photigrapohed during World War II, the early 1940s. They all wear nightshirts. It was a commerical postcard done foir Christmas. The caption read, "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht"--the opening words to the beautiful "Silent Night" Christmas csarol.

Nightshirts were worn by boys and girls in the 19th century. Pajamas rapidly replace nightshirts during the early 20th centry in America and Britain. This does not seem to be nearly as common on the Continent. We see German boys wearing nightshirts commonly in the 1930s. Here we see RAD boys wearing nightshirts in their dormitories (figure 1). This was probably before World War II. We believe that nightshirts were more common than pajamas before the War. We see several images of children wearing them in the 1940s. Psajamas were also worn in the 1940s. We thought thst pajamas did not begin to become popoular until after the War. By the 1950s, pajamas had begun to become more common, but nightsirts were still worn. We note a 1953 German catalog with a page on sleepwear that offered nightshirts. We note a advertisemnt for a bathrobe and the boy does not appear to be wearing pajamas in a1955 catalog. A British reader tells us that the German boy in a family he stayed with during the 1960s wore a nightshirt.

The 19th Century

Nightshirts were worn by boys and girls in the 19th century. We have very limited informstion, but as far as we can tell, nightshirts were worn throughout the 9th century.

The 20th Century

Pajamas rapidly replace nightshirts during the early 20th centry in America and Britain. This does not seem to be nearly as common on the Continent. We see German boys wearing nightshirts commonly in the 1930s. Here we see RAD boys wearing nightshirts in their dormitories (figure 1). This was probably before World War II. We believe that nightshirts were more common than pajamas before the War. We see several images of children wearing them in the 1940s. Pajamas were also worn in the 1940s. A reader writes, "I was born in 1935. I can't remember ever having a nightshirt as a child. I have a photo of myself about 1939 wearing pajamas. And I recall only wearing pajamas as I got older." We think that social-class was a factor here. We thought that pajamas did not begin to become popoular until after the War. By the 1950s, pajamas had begun to become more common, but nightsirts were still worn. We note a 1953 German catalog with a page on sleepwear that offered nightshirts. We note a advertisemnt for a bathrobe and the boy does not appear to be wearing pajamas in a1955 catalog. A British reader tells us that the German boy in a family he stayed with during the 1960s wore a nightshirt.

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Created: 1:14 AM 8/17/2009
Last updated: 1:14 AM 8/17/2009