Figure 1.--Here are some of Brooks Brother's offring for going back to school in 1940. These would be styles worn at private schools. Brook's Brothers was a high end retailer of men and boys' clothing. |
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We still see some boys wearing Eton collars. We notice a Brooks Brother's magazine adverisement for primary (elementary school) school suits and shirts. Brook's Brothers was a high end retailer of men and boys' clothing. The main store was in New York, but they by 1940 had stores in Boston, Los angeles, and San Francisco. We see quite a few Brooks Brothers magazine ads. These would presumably be be mostly for boys attending private school. By the 1940s, boys were no longer wearing suits at public elementary schools with a few exception. Parents had several options. We notice both Eton suis for younger boys in elementary school. Lapel jackets were vailble for older boys in elementary school and knickers as well as shorts. There were long pants suits for boys in seconday schools. The ad copy read, "Brook's hat in the ring (an Eton cap this time) calling your attention to our newly organized department for Lower, Middle, and Upper Formers who are now about to be outfitted for school. The new stocks of clothes present a greater assortment than ever ... and prices, as evidenced by the few things illustrated , as good examples, are lower (substantially lower) than they had been heretofore." Notice the use of the English term 'Formers'. This suggest private schools, many of which were influenced by the British system. Also note that there were no outfits for specific schools. Many private schools required the boys to wear suits, but not specific colors, fabrics, or styles.
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Lower School. Colarless Jackets and Shorts in either grey or blue Flannelor a good choice of Tweeds, are $12.60 to $25 (ages 5 to 9)." Lowe and upper school is another term used in Britain. The ad copy reads 'colarless', but they are actually refering more to lpels.
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Middle School. Jackets with Collar and sjorts or Knickers, $17.50 to $27 (ages 7 to 12)." These jackets had lapels for the older boys.
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Eton Colar Short waists, in blue oe white Cheviots,are $1.50." A shirt waisr here meant a shirt done without a collar. They were worn with detachable Eton Collars. We have not oticed blue shirt waists in England.
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Upper School Suits (Jckets, Waistcoats and Long Trousers) in choice of Tweeds, Worsteds and Flannels -- plain colors, stripes, plaids -- or in blue Cheviot, $28 to $35 (ages 11 to 18). Single ir double breasted.
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Collar-Attached Shirts, in plain blue or white Cheviot or white Broadcloth, are $1.75 tp $2.50. Checked Brushed Cotton shirts are $2.25."
The Brooks Brothers ad copy read, "Upper Form Ties in a choice of stripes or small patterns in silk or wool, as illustrated, are $1.25. (Lower Foirm Ties, smaller size, are $1.)"
This was a back to school ad, probably meaning August 1940. This was of course during World War II, actually a critical point of the War, the Battle of Britain with the Blitz about to begin. Many of the favrics mentioned here were notabke British exports, especially the Tweeds. We know that Brooks Brothers handeled British fabrics and British made clothing. Here there is no indication where the fbrics came from. Mentioning Briyain as athe source of tweeds was a selling point. Britain was by this time gearingbup for total war. Textile mills and cloyhing mnufacturrs were shifting to military production. We are not entirly sure how the War affected exports. Britain was buying in the United state as President Roosevelt suceeded in repealing the Neuratlity Laws. Amd much of this was done on a cash and carry basis. Ths the British needed dollars. So the Government may have attempted to maintain some exports. Britain was rapidly going bankrupt. Britain ability to finance the War became a major problem. Only the President's Lend Lease program enabled Britain to continue th War.
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