Figure 1.-- This snap shot of two American brothers looks to have been taken in the early-1910s. It shows their prize hound dog, almost sertainly used for hunting coon or other prey. You just know that the bond between the three was very tight. I'm not sure what the white object in the foreground is, but it could be some sort of ribboned trophy for the dog, won in a local contest. The boys seem to be about 10-12 years old. The older boy wears knickers with black long stockings; the younger boy wears either above-the-knee knickers or knee pants also with long black stockings. The two also wear knitted ties. The difference in their clothes are the white shirt-like garment. The younger boy wears a blouse. Notice the puffed sleeves, especially where they attach at the shoulders. The collar is larger than that of the older boy's shirt, but the detail is difficult to make out. The younger boy's necktie is held in place by a series of white keepers (an unusual feature of the shirt) that resemble the keepers on trousers through which a belt can be threaded. It looks as though mother has devised these little strips of white material that go with the blouse to keep her son's necktie from flopping around. I have never seen a boy's blouse or shirt with such devices, which makesme think the shirt was home-designed and home-sewn. The older brother seems to be wearing a standard shirt. We can see the apron of mother behind the front doorway. The boys seem to wear the standard high-top black shoes.

The Eton collar continued to be worn in the early-20th century as did blouses with large ruffled collars. We see older boys wearing more adult styles like wing collars. Blouses become less ornate in the 1910s, but were still worn in the 1910s. After World War I collars became smaller. Shirts become much more casual. Specifically leisure styles appear. The standard pointed collar became increasingly common. Younger boys might wear blouses with Eton collars or Peter Pan collars and increasingly older boys anted shirts rather than blouses. Detachable collars disappeared. Button-on shirts are commonly worn by younger and school-age boys. Sport colllars were popular for a while. Open collars became increasingly popular. Some boys buttoned their collars. Some parents believed it was proper to do this. This convention gradually becme less and less common, but persisted into the1960s. After World War II, T-shirts without collars became increasingly popular. Stripped T shirts become standard in grammar (primary) school. Rebellious teenagers might wear white-T-shirts with jeans. Preppy styles like Polo-shirts and button-sown collars became fashionable along with madras shirts. Rugby shirts were a popular casual style in the 1970s. Boys in high school also began wearing T-shirts. Rugby shirts were also popular. Collaed shirts gradually became seen as a formal attire. T-shirts with sports and other logo become a fashion statement. Neckwear gradually became less and less common and by the 1980s was only worn for formal occassions.

The 1900s

Shirt-like garments were still commonly called blouses and waists in the 1900s. Blouses were comonly worn by school age boys and evenb younger vten agers. Older teenagers tended to wear shirts. We see younger boys wearing Fauntleroy and sailor blouses in the 1900s. The Eton collar continued to be worn in the early-20th century as did blouses with large ruffled collars. We see older boys wearing more adult styles like wing collars.

The 1910s

We see boys conunue to wear both blouses and shirts in the 1910s. Blouses become less ornate in the 1910s, but were still worn in the 1910s. Fauntleroy blouses declined and were less fancy, but we still see many boys wearing sailor blouses. School age boys still commonly wore blouses. A major factor here was that blouses were better suited for long stockings because stocking supporters were needed. Shirts had tails which interferred with the tocking supporters and shirt waists. Long stockings continued to be standard for American children, both boys and girls in the 1910s. There were different styles of blouses, including various collars. Ww still see Eton collars, but they were declining in popularity. We see shirt waists meant to be worn with detachable collars, but we do nor yet see casual collarless shirts. We continue to see mostly white shirts and blouses. Short sleeves were still standard. We see both collars ans shirts with front pleats. We see far fewer boys wearing floppy bows with their blouses. Bow ties were very popular with shirts for the older boys.

The 1920s

After World War I collars became smaller. Shirts become much more casual. Specifically leisure styles appear. The standard pointed collar became increasingly common. Younger boys might wear blouses with Eton collars or Peter Pan collars and increasingly older boys anted shirts rather than blouses. Detachable collars disappeared. Button-on shirts are commonly worn by younger and school-age boys. Sport colllars were popular for a while. Open collars became increasingly popular. Some boys buttoned their collars. Some parents believed it was proper to do this. Button-on shirts done in sets appear.

The 1930s

We see boys wearing both collared and colarless shirts. Most shirts were long-sleeve, but we see some short-sleeve shirts as well. (This is in part a demographic matter. Before World War II and air conditioning, the American population ws concentrated in the north where warm summer weather was only a few months. Thus short sleeves were not as popular as theyt would become after the War. Some shirts for boys 10 years of age and under are made in the button-on style. We still see shirts being called waists. Note that the term "waists" used in these advertisements refers not to underwear waists but to boy's shirts--especially those with waist buttons to button on to short pants. Underwear waists also had buttons, however, for the purpose of attaching outer clothing such as short pants as well as pin tubes to allow for the fastening of hose supporters. The use of the term "waist" for both boys' outer shirts and for underwear with waist buttons is a bit confusing for modern readers. Waists were very similar to modern shirts, but were not called waists because there were no shirt tails. Tails were not needed as the waists securely buttoned on to under-wear waists or the pants directly. They were presumably included on the page with short pants because they were most commonly worn with shorts pants. They were, however, not exclusively worn with shorts. After the early part of the decade we no longer see the term 'waists and blouses being used for school age boys. This meant that for the most part, except for button-on shirts, that they had shirt tails. Some shirts were made in 'coat style'. Most of these shirts are for boys up to the age of 14. Stiped T-shiets had become an important style for boys by the end of the decade. They were done in both short and long-sleeve styles.

The 1940s

The 1950s

Stripped T shirts become standard in grammar (primary) school. Rebellious teenagers might wear white-T-shirts with jeans.

The 1960s

Buttoning shirt collars gradually became less and less common, but persisted into the 1960s. After World War II, T-shirts without collars became increasingly popular. Preppy styles like Polo-shirts and button-sown collars became fashionable along with madras shirts.

The 1970s

Rugby shirts were a popular casual style in the 1970s. Boys in high school also began wearing T-shirts. Rugby shirts were also popular. Collaed shirts gradually became seen as a formal attire. T-shirts with sports and other logo become a fashion statement. Neckwear gradually became less and less common and by the 1980s was only worn for formal occassions.

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Created: 1:57 AM 8/28/2010
Last updated: 8:11 PM 1/8/2015