Photo Essays: Uniforms Garments--Long Trousers
Figure 1.--Schools varied on their rules about long and short trousers. Some schools required some or all of the boys to wear short trousers. At other scholls the choice was optional.
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Schools varied as to their approach to long trousers. Most prep school boys since World War I wore short trousers as part of the required school uniform. This bid not bein to change until well after World War II. We begin tosee more long trousers in the 1960s. Long trousers became increasingly common during the 1980s, especially for the older boys. Boys normally wore either grey or black long trousers. A few schools had long corduroy trousers, but this was not very common. Curiously while almost all the schools insisted girls wear dresses or skirts, a few allowed girls to wear long cord trousers during the Winter. The girls were not allowed to wear shorts or other types of long trousers. This was a relatively rare approasch, for the most part the schools insisted the girls wear skirts and dresses. Many schools required all or some of the boys to wear short trousers. Those schools which had both long and short trousers had various rules about wearing long trousers. Some schools made it iptional. but most schools had rules. Some schools had an age or form limit. In the past there was a heighth limit at some schools, but we did not notice this at the schools we visited. The most common rule was an age limit. Quite a number of schools allowed all the boys to wear long trousers. At many schools both short and long trousers were allowed. Some boys wore shorts even when not required, but most preferred to wear long trousers is permitted to do so.
Chronology
Schools varied as to their approach to long trousers over time. In part this reflected wide fashion trends. Most prep school boys since World War I wore short trousers as part of the required school uniform. This bid not bein to change until well after World War II. We begin tosee more long trousers in the 1960s. Long trousers became increasingly common during the 1980s, especially for the older boys.
Color
Boys normally wore either grey or black long trousers. Black was the most common. We did not observe any other color, except for white flannels for cricket.
Material
A few schools had long corduroy trousers, but this was not very common.
Gender
Curiously while almost all the schools insisted girls wear dresses or skirts, a few allowed girls to wear long cord trousers during the Winter. The girls were not allowed to wear shorts or other types of long trousers. This was a relatively rare approasch, for the most part the schools insisted the girls wear skirts and dresses.
Schools varied as to their approach to school uniform trousers. Many schools required all or some of the boys to wear short trousers. Those schools which had both long and short trousers had various rules about wearing long trousers. Some schools made it optional, but generally schools hat did so generally becme schools where all the boys wore long trousers. We visited one school with only one boy wearing short trousers. Most schools had rules. Some schools had an age or form limit. In the past there was a heighth limit at some schools, but we did not notice this at the schools we visited. The most common rule was an age limit. Quite a number of schools allowed all the boys to wear long trousers. At many schools both short and long trousers were allowed. Some boys wore shorts even when not required, but most preferred to wear long trousers is permitted to do so. Another approach was seasonal with shorts becoming reserved for the summer term. This seems to have been particularly common in the south.
