School Cord Shorts


Figure 1.--These Scottish boys wear blue cord shorts with blue sweaters and ties. This is there everyday school uniform. Click on the image for information about the school.

A few schools adopted corduroy in the 1930s, but flannel remained the most common material. Corduroy shorts continued to be worn after World War II, but they were not nearly as popular as the new Terylene shorts. Cord shorts were chosen for their long wearing characteristics. They were also often worn at schools that were somewhat less formal, even so they like flannel and Terrelyn shorts were commonly worn with ties. Some schools use cord shrts as the every day uniform and had other long or short trousers for formal occasions. Grey was the most common color, but grey and brown were also worn. Someother colors such as green may have also been worn. Cord shorts were most common in English schools, but were also worn in France and Scotland. HBC has not noted them in former British colonies like Australia, New Zdaland, and South Africa.

Chronology

A few schools adopted corduroy in the 1930s, but flannel remained the most common material. Corduroy shorts continued to be worn after World War II, but they were not nearly as popular as the new Terylene shorts.

Chracteristics

Cord shorts were chosen by many schools and parents for their long wearing characteristics.

Conventions

They were also often worn at schools that were somewhat less formal, even so they like flannel and Terrelyn shorts were commonly worn with ties. Some schools use cord shrts as the every day uniform and had other long or short trousers for formal occasions.

Colors

Grey was the most common color. We have vnoted quite a few English schools that used grey cord sshorts for the school uniform. Blue was proibably the next most popul;r color. We have also noted brown and rust cord shorts. Some other colors such as green may have also been worn, but we have not noted them as a part of a school uniform.

Countries

Cord shorts were most common in English schools. For some reason we seem them worn more in the private than the state schools, at least by the 1970s, we are not sure about earlier. While perhaps more common in English schools than elsewhere, we do note them being worn at schools in some other countries as well. They were also worn in Belgium, France, the Nertherlands, Scotland, and other countries. HBC has not noted them in former British colonies like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.






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Created: October 15, 2000
Last updated: 10:00 PM 12/23/2004