Figure 1.--A good example is Jacques-Laurent Agasse's, 'The Playground'. In the foreground of the picture is a boy of about 13 or 14 in clearly boys' clothes. To his left two children play around a wheelbarrow. There is good reason to believe that both the younger children are probably boys based on their rough housing with the wheelbarrow.

HBC has little historical information on the chrnology of the pinafore. We have, however, begun to compile some information. Unsights can be discerned from an examination of available images. The earliest evidence of pinafores I have noted is from late 18th Century paintings. This is, however, just an initial observation and requires further investigation. Pinafores and other apron-like garments. These pinafores were commonly worn during the early 19th century. They were usually linen, though some more durable fabrics were also used. have little information on the pinafores worn during the early 19th Century. Some early images show front buttoning garments, which may have been early precursors to the pinafore. Pinafores at mid-century were very widely worn in Europe and North America. There are many images showing children wearing pinafores in America, England, France, and Italy. I believe they were worn in many other countries as well, but have little information confirming this. The pinafore worn during the mid-19th Century was shorter than early 19th Centurypinafores as the dresses worn by girls and little boys were shorter. Some were worn with pantalettes, as many still, considered it necessary to cover the bare legs, even of children. Pinafores were widely used in the late 19th century to protect clothes. Formal clothing was much more common at the time. People did not wear casual clothes as is now common. Nor did ordinary people have many changes of clothing. In addition clothing was much more expensive in real terms. Given the cost--very important to protect. The pinafore was also a handy labor saving device for the hard pressed mother, with few labor-saving devices and often a large family. The pinafore by the early 20th century had come to be seen as primarily a girls' garment. The pinafore widely worn in the early 20th century. Most pinafores by the early 20th centiry were worn by girls. These were very popular garments to ptotect girl's dresses. most were white, but there were colored pinafores as well. There were also both plain and fancy pinafores. We have not noted boys commonly wearing pinafores in the mid-20th century. We have noted, however, boys in some European countries wearing pinafore-like smocks.

Late 18th Century

The earliest evidence of pinafores I have noted is from late 18th Century paintings. This is, however, just an initial observation and requires further investigation. We do not yet know when the term "pinafore" was first used.

Early 19th Century

Pinafores and other apron-like garments. These pinafores were commonly worn during the early 19th century. They were usually linen, though some more durable fabrics were also used. have little information on the pinafores worn during the early 19th Century. Some early images show front buttoning garments, which may have been early precursors to the pinafore. One HBC contributor comments that he thinks it is an open-front coat of some sort. I've seen several described as that in the vintage clothing section on e-Bay, an Internet auction. Buttoned up, they look like dresses. Pinafores for girls and boys still in dresses during in the early 19th Century could be quite long as dresses in the Empire and Regency styles were quit long. The pinafores had to be long enough to cover the garment to be protected. Photographic images are not available to show children wearing pinafores before the 1850s. Many paintings, however, do picture children in pinafores. The problem, however, is that since younger boys wore dresses just like their sisters, it is often very difficult to demonstrate that boys as well as girls wore pinafores. A good example is Jacques-Laurent Agasse's, The Playground. In the foreground of the picture is a boy of about 13 or 14 in clearly boys' clothes. To his left two children play around a wheelbarrow. There is good reason to believe that both the younger children are probably boys based on their rough housing with the wheelbarrow. Notice the two girls further back in the painting. One of these girls has a hat and the other is in a white dress, sitting on the ground and talking. Little girls are very verbal and typically cluster together to chat. This can be seen even today in school playgrounds. Boys in contrast seem to prefer activities involving motion, which is also observable in playgrounds today. Of course it impossible to tell with certainty. The clothes do not provide any real clues as to gender at the age of these children. It does seem likely that the two children in dresses, including the one in a long back-buttoning pinafore, are boys.

Mid 19th Century Pinafores

Pinafores at mid-century were very widely worn in Europe and North America. There are many images showing children wearing pinafores in America, England, France, and Italy. I believe they were worn in many other countries as well, but have little information confirming this. The pinafore worn during the mid-19th Century was shorter than early 19th Centurypinafores as the dresses worn by girls and little boys were shorter. Some were worn with pantalettes, as many still, considered it necessary to cover the bare legs, even of children.

Figure 2.--This Brooker painting in the late 19th Century shows what I think are five boys, some probably brothers playing London Bridge is falling down. Two of the boys wear white pinafores and colored smocks. It is possible that the two are girls, but there hair looks much to short to be girls.

Late 19th Century

Pinafores were widely used in the late 19th century to protect clothes. Formal clothing was much more common at the time. People did not wear casual clothes as is now common. Nor did ordinary people have many changes of clothing. In addition clothing was much more expensive in real terms. Given the cost--very important to protect. The pinafore was also a handy labor saving device for the hard pressed mother, with few labor-saving devices and often a large family. When laundry was hard labor and fabric dyes ran and faded, the apron-like pinafore helped keep clothes clean and saved on washing. We noted that the pinafore was very commonly worn by girls in schools diring the alte 19th century. This was especially common in America and Britain, but was probably also true in many European countries as well. At some English schools, the pinafore in the alte 19th century seems almpst a uniform it it was widely worn. One late 19th Century English image shows that some boys still wore pinafores in the years before the turn of the century. Boys wearing pinafores would most likely be boys still wearing dresses or after breeching wearing smocks. Pinafores appear to have been most common in France, but the Brooker painting does appear to show that British boys also wore them even in the late 19th Century. Other artists like Helen Allingham also show boys wearing pinnies. While it is clear that English and French boys were wearing pinafores, I am not sure how common it was in either country. Also I am not sure if there were any stylistic differences for the pinafores worn buy boys and girls.

Figure 3.--Pinafores and smocks were ideal for keeping clothes clean and lightening the laundry load. By the late 19th century the pinafore had become standardized as back buttoning garments. This photograph was probably taken in the 1010s.

Early 20th Century (1900-20)

The pinafore by the early 20th century had come to be seen as primarily a girls' garment. The pinafore widely worn in the early 20th century. Most pinafores by the early 20th centiry were worn by girls. These were very popular garments to ptotect girl's dresses. most were white, but there were colored pinafores as well. There were also both plain and fancy pinafores. The plain ones were worn every dat to protect a girls clothes while playing or working or at school. Other pinafores were worn for special occasions or were worn by gurls from wealthy families. The pinafore by the early 20th century was no lnger commonly worn by boys. We have noted, however, boys wearing very plain pinafore-like smocks. We have not noted girls wearing these pinafores, but it is possible that they did so.

Mid-20th Century (1920-45)

After World War I (1914-18), the pinafore became seen as strictly a garment for girls. Boys no longer wore them, even younger boys. In part this was a functin of the declining custom of dressing younger boys in dresses. The pinafore continued to be worn by girls, but to a much lesser extent than during the late 19th and 20th Century. Girls in the inter-war years still wore pinafores. I think it was probably more common in affluet families, but I have realtively little information. Some pinafores may have been worn with fancy part dresses. They may have also been wirn at barding schools or orphanages during this period. We have not noted boys commonly wearing pinafores in the mid-20th century. We have noted, however, boys in some European countries wearing pinafore-like smocks.

Late 20th Century (1945-2000)

Girls in the inter-war years still wore pinafores. I think it was probably more common in affluet families, but I have realtively little information. Some pinafores may have been worn with fancy part dresses. They may have also been wirn at barding schools or orphanages during this period.

Created: August 20, 2002
Last updated: 6:28 AM 8/16/2017