Figure 1.--These boys during the 1960s are doing a surveying exercise. Australian boys in the immediate post-war period continued to wear Englis-style school uniforms.

Australian schools in the immediate post World War II era continued to be very similar to English styles. Changes began to take place in Australian school uniforms during the 1960s. Some primary schools, as in England began to adopt simple uniforms. The boys wore short pants and kneesocks. The secondary schools continiued to wear English school uniforms. Caps went out of style in the 1960s and blazers were less commonly worn. Boys, even older boys, continued to wear short pants and kneesocks. This differed from England where older boys no longer wore short pants school uniforms, except for a few traditional private schools.

Chronology

Australian schools in the immediate post World War II era continued to be very similar to English styles. Changes began to take place in Australian school uniforms during the 1960s as more casual styles better suited to the Australian climate began to appear.

Types of Schools

Some primary schools, as in England began to adopt simple uniforms. The boys wore short pants and kneesocks.

The secondary schools continiued to wear English school uniforms. Australian boys in secondary schools, however, generally wore short pants. Often even older boys wore shorts. In England only the younger boys in secondary schools wore shorts, except for some private schools.

Garments

Caps which were common before World War II began to decline after the war. These were less commonly worn in the 1950s and went out of style in the 1960s. A few private schools continued to require them for the younger boys.

Blazers were less commonly worn by he 1960s as more casual school styles began to appear.

Boys often wore grey shirts to school. As late as the 1960s, long sleeve shirts were still common even during the summer term. Boys would commomly roll them up in a perrscribed manner.

Boys, even older boys, continued to wear short pants and kneesocks. Grey shorts were commonly wornnwith grey kneesocks. This differed from England where older boys no longer wore short pants school uniforms, except for a few traditional private schools.

Related Links: Careful this will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but both sites are highly recommended

Apertures Press International Project: Pictures at schools in different countries and a book on British schools
Apertures Press New Zealand book: New book on New Zealand schools in progress
Boys' Preparatory Schools: Lovely photographic essay of British preparatory schools with some over 200 color and black and white photographs depicting the schools during the 1980s
School Uniform Web SiteInformative review of British school uniforms with some excellent photographs

Created: November 8, 1999
Last updated: November 8, 1999