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Smocks were extensively worn by agricutural labor and workmen in the early 19th century. They probably originated in the 18th century, but HBC does not yet have any information on this. Smocks became strongly associated with the working class. Clothes were very expensive in real terms during the early 19th century and it was especially important for people of modest means to protect their clothing. In addition, a smock was a simplier garment to sew (and this less expensive) than shirts and trousers. The drugery involved in laundery during the 19th century also made the smock a practical garment. This probably discouraged many middle-class mothers from using smocks for their children. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Smock continued to be worn by agricultural laborers and city workers in the mid-19th century. Some paintings suggest that smocks were commonly worn by some English children during the mid-19th Century. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Dresses becamge shorter by the 1840s, but were commonly worn with pantalettes. We have not yet noted any paintings or photographs of children wearing smocks with pantalettes, but presimably few children would have worn an informal smock for a portarit. Artist like Helen Allingham provide some charming images of English girls and boys wearing smocks. Smocks continued to be popular for girls in the late-19th Century, but by the late 19th Century, especially by the 1890s were becoming less common for boys. This was in part because of the increasing level of school attendance, both in private and state schools. English schools, unlike French schools did not require children to wear smocks. English private schools had school uniforms and once boys began wearing their school uniforms they no longer wanted to wear smocks at home. Some English boys at the turn of the century did wear smocks. The boys involved were primarily from affluent families.
Smocks were extensively worn by agricutural labor and workmen in the early 19th century. They probably originated in the 18th century, but HBC does not yet have any information on this. Smocks became strongly associated with the working class. Clothes were very expensive in real terms during the early 19th centurt and it was especially important for people of modest means to protect their clothing. In addition, a smock was a simplier garment to sew (and this less expensive) than shirts and trousers. The drugery involbed with laundrey during the 19th century also made the smock a practical garment. This probably incouraged many middle-class mothers to use smocks for their children. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Given the fact that the Empire-style dresses were quite long in the early 19th century, smocks for girls and younger boys would have had to be quite long. HBC has no information indicating that smocks were extensively worn by British children in the early 19th century, but our information is admitedly limited.
Smock continued to be worn by agricultural laborers and city workers in the mid-19th century. Some paintings suggest that smocks were commonly worn by some English children during the mid-19th Century. The fact that younger boys' commonly wore dresses would seem to suggest that the smock would also be a suitable garment for a child. Dresses becamge shorter by the 1840s, but were commonly worn with pantalettes. We have not yet noted any paintings or photographs of children wearing smocks with pantalettes, but presimably few children would have worn an informal smock for a portarit. We have also seen some indication that younger children wore smock and pinafores to school. We are not yet sure, however, how common it was and what age boy would wear smocks and pinafores. We do note some images of older boys in rural areas wearing the same style of smocks worn by their fathers. It is possible that some boys may have worn such smocks to school.
Artist like Helen Allingham provide some charming images of English girls and boys wearing smocks. Smocks continued to be popular for girls in the late-19th Century, but by the late 19th Century, especially by the 1890s were becoming less common for boys. This was in part because of the increasing level of school attendance, both in private and state schools. English schools, unlike French schools did not require children to wear smocks. English private schools had school uniforms and once boys began wearing their school uniforms they no longer wanted to wear smocks at home. Some English boys at the turn of the century did wear smocks. The boys involved were primarily from affluent families. It was increasingly being viewed, however, as a French fashion. The families involved were often families who liked to stress their cosmopolitan commections and outlook. One such family was the The Llewellyn-Davies Family. The family was importalized By J.M. Barie in the children's classic, Peter Pan. The boys helped inspired Barie's book. The were commonly outfitted in smocks and even berets, giving them even more of a Frebch look. We also note that Reginald Birch in his classic illustrations for Little Lord Faintleroy depicted the children on the estate wearing smocks. Cedric of course did not wear smocks, but the children of the agricyltural laborers did. We are not sure how common this was in England by 1885 when he did the illustrations. This may have been a bit of nostalgia. We have no photographic images to substantiate this. Presumably because estate workers could not aford photographic portraits and if they did would not have worn a smock which was considered work clothes.
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