Figure 1.--Here most of the boys are wearing Eton collars, primarily with neckties. This school portait has a postcard back so we know that it was an early-20th century portrait and that it was English. Whle that is all we know for sure, We would guess it was taken about 1920 and that it was a state school, based both on the diversity of the boys' outfits and the school building in the background. The boys are wearing mostly short pants suits, but we see a few boys wearing knicker suits.

School shirts and bloues were done both with detachable and attached collars. The Eton collar was not a a primary shirt style, but rather a detacable collar worn with a shirt waist, meaning a shirt with no collar. It does not look to have been a very comfortable style. The large stiff collar, in fact, looks decidedly uncomfortable. Even so it was certainly widely worn for half a century. The Eton collar was the best known detacheable collar and is strongly asociated with schoolwear. The gleaming white Eton collar as the name clearly indicates was an English creation. The Eton collar was an English creation. Boys at Eton College began wearing it in the early-19th century even before the invention of photography or the creation of a state school syste. Gradually it was adopted by many other English schools. And it dominated English school portraits for several decades, basically half a century. We do not have many images, however, until the appearance of the CDV (1860s). And it dominateed English school portraits for several decades. The classic Eton collar was large and with pointed tips. Detachable collars came in many different shapes, including rounded tips. It was the pointed style that was the most common. At school, presumably because of the influence of the public (private boarding) schools, it was the Eton collar that became the standard for boys. The basic Eton collar was a school stapel for several decades. Boys at private schools were expected to wear them. And this set the fahion so we see middle-class and working-class boys wearing them as well at state schools. The Eton collar was commonly worn for years during the late-19th and early-20th century. It was worn by boys a wide variety of schools. This was not a shirt, but rather a shirt waist worn with a detachable Eton collar. It does not look to have been a very comfortable style, but it was certainly widely worn. We noticed school-age boys commonly wearing the Eton collars through the early 1910s. By the mid-1910s, they begin to beome less common. Here about 1920, not all the boys wore them (figire 1), but many did. In some cases this was school rules, but age conventions were also at play. The type of school was a factor. Boys at both state and private schools wore them, but there was more variety at state school, where parental decesion was more important and school rules less of a factor.

Prevalence

School shirts and blouses were worn with both with detachable and attached collars. The Eton collar was the best known detacheable collar and wasstrongly asociate with schoolwear. It appeared decades before photography was inventedm but dominted school portraits for several decades wn the school portait became a school tradition. At school, presumably because of the influence of the public (private boarding) schools, it was the Eton collar that became the standard for boys. Eton collars were required at many private schools. We see whole classes wearing them. Ecen schools with very loose unforrm requirements. They were also worn at many state schools which seems to be the case here (figure 1). This can easily be followed in the photographuc record. We see whole classes sporting gleaming Eton collars. The basic Eton collar was a school stapel for several decades. It does not look to have been a very comfortable style. The large stiff collar, in fact, looks decidedly uncomfortable. But compfort was not a factor in its orevalence--it was adopted for its appearance. The boys were clearly not consulted. The influence of boys on fashiom did not become an important bfactor until well into thev200th century. And despite the fact it was not very confirtable, it was widely worn for half a century.

Age

The agevof boys weating Eton collars cganged sonewhat over time. Tjis isca little difficultvto follow in the early-19th century before thevinvention of photography (1839). And even themm we do not have large numbers of photographic portraits until the CDV became popular (1860s). We notice school-age boys commonly wearing the Eton collars through the early teens. When the boys reached the mid-teens they begin to become less common. In some cases this was school rules, but age conventions were also at play.

Types of Schools

Boys at private schools were expected to wear them. And this set the fahion so we see middle-class and working-class boys warng them as well at state schools. Here not all the boys wore them, but many did. It was worn by boys a wide variety of schools. The type of school was a factor. Boys at both state and private schools wore them, but there was more variety at state school, where parental decesion was more important and school rules less of a factor.

Chronology

The Eton collar was an English creation. Boys at Eton College began wearing it in the early-19th century before the invention of photography. Detachable collars were, hiwever, only created at mid-century, so we are not sure about what collars were won with Eton suits in he early-19th centyury. We have very few early English photographic images (Dagurerreotyoes and Ambrotypes), unlike America, for the 1840s and 50s. So we have very little informztion on collars during this period. We do not have many images, however, until the appearance of the CDV in the 1860s. With CDVs we have for the first time substantial numbers of images. Most are invividual portraits. We do not have many class or other school groups until the 1880s. And Eton collars are quite prominant vy thus time. This is not only the case in private schools, but in state schools as well. The Eton collar was still standard at the turn-of-the 20th century. The Eton collar was commonly worn for years during the 1900s and 1910s. Thet began to decline in pularity durin Workd War I (1914-15) and were notably less common, although still widely worn during the 1920s. The school portrait here is a good example (1920s).

Construction

This was not a shirt, but rather a shirt waist (essentially a shirt wiyhout a collar) worn with a detachable Eton collar.

Styles

There were various in sizes and shape. The classic Eton collar was large and with pointed tips. We see a wide range of sizes in the photographic record. Detachable collars came in many different shapes, including rounded tips. It was the pointed style that was the most common, almost universal in many school portraits.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Return to the Main English School Shirt style page]
[Return to the Main English School shirt page]
[Australia] [Main England page] [France] [Germany]
[Italy] [Japan] [New Zealand] [Scotland]
[Singapore] [South Africa] [United States]

Created: 8:57 AM 8/18/2014
Last updated: 2:28 AM 12/11/2014