Figure 1.--Several schools that require ties during the Fall and Winter Term, switch to casual Aertex shirts during the Summer term. They were worn without ties. They commonly were blue, but they were other colors.. |
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We notice a range of different shirts at prep schools. The styles are essentially the same as those offered in the major chain stores and some mothers buy them there because they tend to be less expensive tan items bought from the school supplier. Many of the shirts are variations in collars, buttoning, and sleeves as well as seasonal styles. Eton collars were once de regure, but rapidly declined in popularity after World war I during the 1920s. They largely disappeared in the 1930s although we still see some boys wearing them at the time World war I broke out (1939. We no longer see them after the War (1945). We note a variety of shirts being worn at prep schools. During the 1950s, Rugby-style grey shirts were common, but we did not notice these being worn in the 1980s, except summer polo shirts. The most common shirt was a grey, long sleeve shirt with plain pointed collars. The shirts were normally worn with ties, but some schools persued a more rlaxed atmosphere and did not require ties. White shirts were required for special days and were normally worn with ties. Some boys wore them for everyday. After World War II some schools introduced Aertex short-sleeved shirts for the Summer term. They were usually done in blue, but we also notice other colors.
We notice a range of different shirts at prep schools. The styles are essentially the same as those offered in the major chain stores and some mothers buy them there because they tend to be less expensive tan items bought from the school supplier. Some items like blazers and sweaters and kneesocks with coloted trim were particularly common at prep schools and less common at state primary schools. The shirts worn, however were largely identical.
Many of the shirts are variations in collars, buttoning, and sleeves. Eton collars were once de regure, but rapidly declined in popularity after World war I during the 1920s. Schools began adopting the more comforable shirts with attached soft collars. Eton collars largely disappeared in the 1930s although we still see some boys wearing them at the time World war I broke out (1939. We no longer see them after the War (1945). We note a variety of shirts being worn at prep schools. During the 1950s, Rugby-style grey shirts were common, but we did not notice these being worn in the 1980s, except summer polo shirts. The most common shirt was a grey, long sleeve shirt with plain pointed collars. The shirts were normally worn with ties, but some schools persued a more rlaxed atmosphere and did not require ties. White shirts were required for special days and were normally worn with ties. Some boys wore them for everyday. After World War II some schools introduced Aertex short-sleeved shirts for the Summer term. They were usually done in blue, but we also notice other colors. One London school had orange shirts.
There are also seasonal shirt styles. The grey or white long-sleeve shirt was the sandard worn at most schools. They shirts buttoned at the collasr and were worn with ties. Some schools shifted to lighter-weifht shorts during the summer. These shirts were mormally worn with open collars. Some were polo-type shirts with rugby buttoning. They were one in a variety of colors. Blue was the most common, but we noticed several other colors, including yellow ad green. These seasomal shirts seem to be an increasingly popular item durng the 1980s. Some schools in recent years have pitchased thee summer shirts with the school name or logo, but this was not common in the 1980s.
