Figure 1.--This English school class portrait was a postcard-back photograph. We believe it would have been taken about 1910. Notice all the girls are wearing pinafores. We are not sure about the ages of the children. We woukd guess that they would hace been about 7 years old. Notice the Roman numeral three in the lower right hand corner. That might mean third year studentsc which would mean 8 year olds. some of the children could be age8 years, buit some definitely look younggr. It was cmmon at the time to see many or even mostofv thev gurls wearing pinnies, but all of them was rarer.

The pinafore was very commonly worn to school by girls in the 19th and very early-20th century. We do not have a lot of chronological information for much of the 19th century, but we do see that the pinafore was very common in the late-19th century. We do not know if pinafores were worn in the 18th century, but we believe that they appeared by the late-18th century. As best we can tell, pinafores were worn throughout the 19th century, although we have very little information on the early-19th century. This was before England began building a state education system. Also photography does not appear until the 1840s, and in England. Dags and Ambros were much less common than in America. We do not see sizeable numbers of photographs until the the CDV became popular (1860s). Which of course means far more images are available permitting valid assessments of fashion trends. At the same time, England began building a public school system inmcreasing the number of schools abd children going to school (1870s). And girls were fully drawn into the school system, at least at the primary level. While we have few images from the early-19th century, thanks to photography we know a great deal about the late-19th century. Pinafores were still widely worn in the early-20th century. Pinafores declined substantually after World War I in the 1920s. The shift was rapid and extensive. We are not entirely sure why. We think that the development of modern laundrry detergents was a major factor.

The 18th Century

We do not know if pinafores were widely worn in the 18th century, but we believe that they appeared by the late-18th century. Fashion historians descrine vibrantly colored pinafores in the early 18th-century, some with decirative enbridery and ruffles. Some pinafores to achieve status had rich silk taffeta fabric and more delicate embroidery. Wec do not know, however, much avout children;s pinafores. And of course, publiv scgool systems werejust behinning to develoo in America and Germany. So far fewer children were attending schools than would be the case in the 19th century.

The 19th Century

The pinafore was very commonly worn to school by girls in the 19th and very early-20th century. We do not have a lot of chronological information for much of the 19th century, but we do see that the pinafore was very common in the late-19th century. As best we can tell, pinafores were worn throughout the 19th century, although we have very little information on the early-19th century. This was before England began building a state education system. Also photography does not appear until the 1840s, and in England. Dags and Ambros were much less common than in America. We do not see sizeable numbers of photographs until the the CDV became popular (1860s). Which of course means far more images are available permitting valid assessments of fashion trends. At the same time, England began building a public school system inmcreasing the number of schools abd children going to school (1870s). And girls were fully drawn into the school system, at least at the primary level. While we have few images from the early-19th century, thanks to photogrphy we know a great deal about the late-19th century.

The 20th Centurty

Pinafores were still widely worn in the early-20th century. Pinafores declined substantually after World War I in the 1920s. The shift was rapid and extensive. We are not entirely sure why. We think that the development of modern laundrry detergents was a major factor. The general trend toward informality in dress generated by Workd war I may have been another factor.

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Created: 8:12 AM 7/15/2014
Last updated: 7:26 AM 8/30/2024