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Overalls only became a major American school garment in the late-1900s decade. We are not sure why children suddenly began wearing them to school. We see very few children wearing overalls to school in the early- and mid-1900s decade. We see a few, but not very many. Suddenly we see quite a number of boys wearing them in the late-1900s, but only at rural schools. This is the same time for some reason we see knickers appearing and replacing knee pants. This was mostly at urban schools. We see lots of overalls, but rarely knickers. And by the early-1910s we see large numbers of boys wearing overalls at rural schools. They were sturdy, practical and inexpensdive. Overalls were very common American schoolwear during the 1910s-30s and we still see in the early-40s, but only at rural schools. We do not see them at city schools. We do see them ar small towns in rural areas. Overalls were especially common in the South, but widely worm in rutal areas outsiude the South as well. They declined in popularity during the 1940s as differences between urban and rural children began to disappear. States were closing small rural schools and consolidating them for financial purposes. At the same time farm income was rising. It is at this time, after World War II in the the late-40s we see city kids beginning to wear jeans to school, at least primary-age children. Jeans were overalls without the bibfront. We first see jeans in Hollywood movies (late-1930s). The very idea of cowboys wearing overlls just would not have worked with Hollywood. Thet were wisekly asssociated wth farmers, but we also do not see hollywood costming farmers in overalls in cowboy movies. It would would have seemed absurd to those of us who trecked to the saturday afternoon double features that featured our favorute cowboy heroes to see them wearing overalls. Cowboy heros never wore overalls. They did wear jeans. We see John Wayne wearing them in 'Stagecoach' (1939). At first many high schools banned jeans. High schools students dressed more formlly, but in the 1960s they became to become standard.
Overalls only became a major American school garment in the late-1900s decade. We are not sure why children suddenly began wearing them to school. We see very few children wearing overalls to school in the early- and mid-1900s decade. Suddenly we see quite a number of boys wearing them in the late-1900s, but only at rural schools. This is the same time for some reason we see knickers appearing and replcing knne opants. This was mostly at urban schools. We see lots of overalls, but rarely knickers. And by the early-1910s we see large numbers of boys wearing overalls at rural schools. They were sturdy, practical and inexpensive. Overalls were very common American schoolwear during the 1910s-30s and we still see in the early-40s, but only at rural schools. We note countless examples of these rural schools with the boys wearing overalls. We do not see them at city schools. There was a stark difference between rural and city schools. We do see them, howevr, at small towns in rural areas. Overralls declined in popularity during the 1940s as differences between urban and rural children began to disappear. States were closing small rural schools abd consolidating them for financial purposes. At the same time farm income was rising. And many farm people good paying jobs at munition factories during the War. Many wanted to keep factory jobs. It is at this time, after World War II in the late-40s when jeans appeared. Jean proved acceoptable to cgildre, even girls began weat=rung them. Farm kids on the other hand no longr wanted to wear overalls, espcially at school--they wiuld have been teased as being hicks.
Ovceralls were entirely worn by boys. We have archived hundreds of school images and even more we have examined, but not acchived. We have only noted one girl wearing overalls. The one exception we have found we see here (figure 1).
Overalls were especially common in the South, but widely worm in rural areas outsiude the South as well.
Overralls were most common with the normal primary school age boys at rural schools. At these schools we see some rather old looking boys atvthese schools. In rural areas the farm czame first. And because boys were often pulled away from school for needed farm work. This it often took longer than city boys to comple te the primary progasm. We see city kids beginning to wear jeans to school in the late-40s, but not overalls. This was at first only primary-age children. High schools tended to have dress codes influenced by the more formal school wear common before World War II.
Jeans were overalls without the bibfront. We first see jeans in Hollywood movies (late-1930s). The very idea of cowboys wearing overlls just would not have worked with Hollywood. Thet were widely asssociated wth farmers, but we also do not see hollywood costming farmers wearuing overalls in cowboy movies. It would would have seemed absurd to those of us who trecked to the saturday afternoon double features that featured our favorute cowboy heroes to see them wearing overalls. Cowboy heros never wore overalls. They did wear jeans. We see John Wayne wearing them in 'Stagecoach' (1939). At first many high schools banned jeans. High schools students dressed more formlly, but in the 1960s they became to become standard.
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