Smocks: Homewear


Figure 1.--HBC did not notice at first, but this boy appears to be wearing a smock. We assumed that it was probably a French boy. The portrait was obtained, however, with a group of German photographs so we are not positive. Click on the image for a detailed discussion of this boy's smock.

Smocks appear to have been well adopted by many parents in the late 19th century for home wear. The same characteristics that made the smock suitable wear for working men (it protected their clothes) made it a particularly appropriate child's garment, as children--especially boys-- are so rough on their clothes. The value was especially true until well after the turn of the century for two reasons One, clothes were much more expensive in real terms than is the case today. Two, washing clothes was a much more difficult, labor intensive undertaking than is the case today. Thus there was good reason for children to wear protective garments. Smocks became widely used by European and American mothers to protect the often elaborate and expensive clothing of their children. Before the turn of the Century when children's clothes became simpler, the smock was very useful to protect those clothes. Smocks were commonly worn in the nursery or for play outdoors. Some mothers may have even used smocks as primary outfits rather than a outer garment to protect clothing. The photographic record may be somewhat misleading. Until the 1890s, most photographs were portraits taken in studios. Parents would be likely to outfit the children in their Sunday best party suits rather than daily nursery wear like smocks.

Chronology

Smocks appear to have been well adopted by many parents in the late 19th century for home wear. HBC has few written records on this. We eventually hope to acquire some accounts from biographies or other written records. Some acounts exists of boys who wore smocks at home, including English and French boys at the turn of the century. Much more information, however, is needed before a chronology can be develooped.

Utility

The same characteristics that made the smock suitable wear for working men (it protected their clothes) made it a particularly appropriate child's garment, as children--especially boys-- are so rough on their clothes. The value was especially true until well after the turn of the century for two reasons One, clothes were much more expensive in real terms than is the case today. Two, washing clothes was a much more difficult, labor intensive undertaking than is the case today. Thus there was good reason for children to wear protective garments.

Country Trends

Smocks became widely used by European and American mothers to protect the often elaborate and expensive clothing of their children. HBC at this time believes that boys wearing smocks at home was probably most common in France and perhaps Italy. They were worn, however, in many other countries as well. HBC has noted boys wearing smocks in America, Belgium, England, Germany, Spain, and Portugal. They were probably worn in many other countries as well, but details are still limited at this time.

Social Trends

HBC believes that the children most likely to wear smocks at home , especially boys, were children from affluent families. Certainly the few photographs we have suggest affluent if not wealthy children. We believe that this was in part because smocks were more commonly worn by boys being raised in comfortable, closely supervised circumstances. HBC can not yet confirm this, but believes that children from poorer families that played on the street with neigborhood children might be likely to be teased about wearing smocks.

Clothing Trends

Before the turn of the Century when children's clothes became simpler, the smock was very useful to protect those clothes. Smocks do seemed to have declined in popularity as clothing styles before simpler and more casual. Another important factor was improvements in laundry techniques such as the development of soap powders and washing machines.

Nursery and Play Wear

Smocks were commonly worn in the nursery or for play outdoors around the house.

Conventions

Some mothers may have even used smocks as primary outfits rather than a outer garment to protect clothing. This certainly was the case for school smocks. HBC assumed it was also the case for smocvks worn at home. We do not, however, have any written records to confirm this. We also have insufficent photographs which can be used to confirm this. In addition, the photographs we do have often have such long smocks with buttoned collars that it is impossible to tell what the children were wearing underneath their smocks. At least somev images suggest, however, that some mothers decided that it was pointless to have a child wear a full set of clothes and then a smock over the clothes. The boy shown here, for example, appears to be wearing his smock as a primary garment (figure 1).

Photographic Record

The photographic record may be somewhat misleading. Until the 1890s, most photographs were portraits taken in studios. Parents would be likely to outfit the children in their Sunday best party suits rather than daily nursery wear like smocks.

Personal Accounts

Only a few accounts are available on individual boys who wore smocks at home. These accounts continue into the mid-20th century.

Christopher Robin Milne (English)

Robin Milne was the son of A.A. Milne. He was known to his family as "Billy Moon." The "Moon" part came from the way Christopher said the family name when he was little. "Billy" was the family's name for him, because they originally wanted to christen him William. This is a picture of A.A. Milne and Christopher (with a certain Mr. Edward Bear). Christopher commonly wore smocks at home until he was about 8 years old.

Alexander Mosley (England)

Diana Mitford, one of the noted Mitford sisters (Nancy, Unity, Diana, Deco, and ???). Diana had two sons, Alexander and Max. The boys commonly wore smocks and dresses at home when they were young.

Renoir family (France)

The children of French impresionist painter Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) commonly wore smocks, often brightly colored ones, if his paintings accurately represent the actual colors. I do not know if the painter himself wore smocks as a boy.

Jacques Zola (France)

The son of noted author and journalist Emil Zola wore smocks at home. Quite a few photographs exist of Jacques. Smocks were only one of the outfits he wore. Presumably mother made the decission as to wehat he wore at home for everyday clothes. I'm not sure on what basis she made her decision.

French-Swiss boy (Switzerland)

A Swiss reader from a French-speaking family tells HBC that his French-catholic mother strongly believed that boys should wear smocks. It was requited at school, but he also wore smocks for play at home or even when dressing up for church. This didn't bother him a yonger boy, but he began to object as he got older.






Christopher Wagner




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Created: June 2, 2001
Last updated: June 2, 2001