Figure 1.-- The photograph here looks to be a studio portrait showing the new student with his little brother, probably about 1960. |
|
Of course setting off to school is a major step for every child. Thus the first day portaits are fascinating social artifacts. We believe that Japanese parents like Western parents also common took photographs or had studio portraits taken on the first day of school. This varied from country to country. We do not have a lot of Japanese edxamples yet, but we have found some. We have not yet found many of these photographs, but have a few to show this important day. Many of the images show the children wearing their school satchels.
Japanese boys dressed up for their first day of school. This was especially the case after Workd war II by the 1960s when the country's economic success was giving the average Japanese family high wages and buyingb buying power never before known. Many boys wore new suits for the first dat of school, suits that he did not then wear to school on regular days.
We have not found a lot of Japnese firsrv fay portraits, but we have found some. The ones we have found so far all date from the post-Pacific War period.
Here we have a first day school portrait dating from 1953. The boy has a Prussian-style cadet cap. He has a white open collar worn with a mock double-breated Eton jacket. It almost certainly was done in navy blue. By Eton jackey ww mean a suit jacket without lapels. there are matching long short pants, black long stockings and colored sneakers. He is pictured standing formally at attention, but without his school satchel.
The photograph here looks to be a studio portrait showing the new student with his little brothe who has not yet begun school. He wears an Eton suit with a double vreasted look and a beret. This is a derssy outfit, not a school uniform. The portrait was probably taken about 1960 (figure 1). Here we mean any time from the late-50s to the early-60s. This is a portrait for the older boy who has hust begun school. Little brother was allowed to join in for the portait. He also wears an Eton suit with a double beasted look, but with a Prussian cadet school cap. They look to be wearing white collared shirts without neckwear.
Here we have another portreait taken about 1960. The portait has a 1950s look to us, but if so would hsve been tsken in the late-50s. Japaneese boys until the lte 1950s were wearing longer shorts. Only as they neared the 60s do you begin to see these short cut shorts. Whgat look o be long stockings also can help date these portraits. The same is true for what we think may be long stockings. It was aboiut 1960 thar tights wetre replacing long stockings. The hise here look a litle too baggy for tights. But they would have to be very long-length long stockings. The boy wears a student cadet cap, collared white shirt with bow tie Eton jacket and matching s=hort pants, long stockings and black leather shoes. We are not sure about colors. He is wearing his school backpack. This double-breasred look for =E=Eton jackets seems popular at the time.
Here we see an unidentified Japanese boy in a First Day portrait. Some boys wore new suits purchased especilly for the entrance interview and/or first day ceremony. In this case he is wearing the traditional cadet style outfit used as unifirm at many schools. This is astyle adopted at an early point as Japan was building a modern secular education system in the late-19th century. It is most common at secondary schools, but some primary schools also use the cadet uniforms. The only difference is that many primary schools wear the cadet jackets with short pants while secondary boys wear long pants. This boy is wearing white tights which many Japanesemothers see s adding a dressy touch. Schools had different rules about hosiery and schools. Often this was an optional matter. Many schools set the color, but the type of hosiery and shoes was up to children and parents. Tights are a popular form of hosiery in cold weather or special occassions for younger boys, both kindergarteners and First Graders. A few Second graders may also wear them. Boys might also wear black, dark blue, or grey thights.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
Late 19th century]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Navigate the HBC Country Dchool Pages:
[Main Japanese School Ceremony Page]
[Main Japanese School Uniform Page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[Ireland]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Scotland]
[United States]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
Navigate the HBC School Section"
[Return to Main school uniform page]
[About Us]
[Activities]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Debate]
[Economics]
[Garment]
[Gender]
[Hair]
[History]
[Home trends]
[Literary characters]
[School types]
[Significance]
[Transport and travel
[Uniform regulations]
[Year level]
[Other topics]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]
