Figure 1.--Notice the buttons on the shoulder of this boy's pull-over sweater. This appears to be a style for younger children. This boy attended a school in Rüschlikon during 1937. Note the rubber suspenders (hose supporters) for the stockings, one on either side for each leg. The supenders are a strap, about 1 1/2 cm wide with openings every 4 cm for buttoning the stockings ("Lochgummi"). They are too long, you can see the straps are buttoned at the top leaving the rest exposed." It appears that the boy is wearing long underwear under his stockings.

The most popular type of sweater by far in Switzerland was the pull-over. Most of the sweaters we see Swiss boys wearing are pullovers. We note several different types of pullovers.Styles varied chronologically. We see mostly V-neck pullovers in the 1930s, By the 1950s we see a lot of crew necks and the parterns were often confined to bands. Some pullovers had buttons on one shoulder. This was a style for younger boys, although we are not sure just what the advantage was. Perhaps it was easier to dress younger children. A reader tells us, "The shoulder buttons on young children's sweaters was a practical device to allow the garment to be removed without 'pulling off the child's ears'. A young child has a large head compared with the size of its neck. So for the sweater to fit snugly round the neck, yet slide over the head, the shoulder buttons are necessary." The "V"-necks seem very popular even though the sweaters were commonly worn without ties. Most boys wpore "V"-necks with patterns, some quite loud. A few boys had plain sweaters, we assume grey, but this is difficult tgo tell with black-and-white photography. A few boys wear what look like British school pullover sweaters with trim at the collar and cuffs. Long sleeve sweaters were almost universal until after World War II. Turtle necks do not seem to be very common.

Prevalece

The most popular type of sweater by far in Switzerland was the pull-over. Most of the sweaters we see Swiss boys wearing are pullovers.

Chronology

Styles varied chronologically. We see mostly V-neck pullovers in the 1930s, By the 1950s we see a lot of crew necks and the parterns were often confined to bands.

Elements

We notice different elements of the sweaters are often used to described then. We note several different types of pullovers.

Necks

The "V"-necks seem very popular even though the sweaters were commonly worn without ties. Most boys wore "V"-necks with patterns, some quite loud. A few boys had plain sweaters, we assume grey, but this is difficult tgo tell with black-and-white photography. A few boys wear what look like British school pullover sweaters with trim at the collar and cuffs. Turtle necks do not seem to be very common.

Sleeves

Long sleeve sweaters were almost universal until after World War II.

Shoulder Buttons

Some pullovers had buttons on one shoulder. This was a style for younger boys, although we are not sure just what the advantage was. Perhaps it was easier to dress younger children. A reader tells us, "The shoulder buttons on young children's sweaters was a practical device to allow the garment to be removed without 'pulling off the child's ears'. A young child has a large head compared with the size of its neck. So for the sweater to fit snugly round the neck, yet slide over the head, the shoulder buttons are necessary." A German reader tells us, "The buttons were rather practical. This kind of buttoning was also used in Germany about the same time, even later till about 1950. They were used for pullovers knitted at home by mother or grandmother. In knitting one has to combine the front part and the rear part at the shoulders. So, it was a good idea to fix only one side (the right one? I don't know, why the right one. I can remember that all these pullovers had the buttons on the left side - may be, since older kids, usually right-handed, also girls had such pullovers, could open and close them with the fingers at their right arm. I myself remember to have had such a pullover, about 12 years old, in 1947-48."

Patterns

We notice a variety of patterns. There were all kinds of stripes of different wifths. There were also a range of more imanginative pastterns. These pstterns might be called ski sweater patterns. We note chronological changes. We see the pattern confined to a naerow band in the 1950s.

Gender

Pull overs seem yo have been especially popular for boys.

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Created: 5:08 AM 6/26/2010
Last updated: 2:51 PM 7/8/2010