Blouses: Chronology--Modern Era


Figure 1.--The fancy blouses once worn by ring bearers at formal weddings are since the 1970s rarely seen.

Fancy blouses for boys have, for the most part, long since passed into fashion history. Currently only very small boys wear such blouses for dress occasions and even this is rare. Fancy blouses are, however, occasionally worn Fancy blouses are also sometimes worn by small boys at formal weddings. Modern blouses for boys come in several different styles.

Smocked Blouses

One style which developed in the 1950s was smocked collars, either worn on blouses or over fancy velvet jackets. Often these blouses were worn as button-on suits, smocked blouses with waist buttons that were worn with matching short pants, knickers, or long pants with button holes for the blouse buttons. The blouses thus could be worn without suspenders-style pants that would hide the smocking work.

Peter Pan Blouses

Peter Pan collars on boys' blouses became poular for dressy occasions by the 1950s. I'm not sure why the stle became associated with Peter Pan. Presumably because the style was used in illustrations in the book or costumes for the play. What is now known as Prter Pan collars appeared in boys' clothes well before the book and before the style was used for girls' clothes. The Peter Pan blouses are worn with various outfits, including shortalls and Eton suits. These outfits were normal dress up outfits, but could also be worn for formal occasions such as weddings.

Fancy Blouses

The fancy blouses still worn for very formal weddings may still have ruffled and/or lace collars. Such wedding outfits have become rarer since the 1980s, but have not gone completely out of style.







HBC




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Created: March 24, 2001
Last updated: March 24, 2001