Figure 1.--The boys' annual "Chatterbox" pictured this illustration of a rural boy wearing a smock. The annual was issued in 1908, I am not sure just what the illustrtor meant as a chronolohical setting for the illustration. Nor do I know who the illustrator was. We are not sure if these rural smocks were pullover or back buttoning smocks.

Engish boys have generally worn back buttoning smocks. Here we are not quite sure about the smocks worn in rural areas during the early 19th century. We do not have back view images and many of these smocks look like they may have been pull-over garments rather than back-buttoning garments. This requires further investigation. The smocks worn by younger children in urban communities at home appear to be mostly back-buttoning smocks. This is primarily because during the period in which they were most commonly worn, back buttoning smocks were prevalent. Unfortunately we have very few 19th century images. Front buttoning smocks did not appear until the 1950s and by that time smocks were little worn by English boys. The smocks worn by English boys generally had plain collars. They were not generally worn with wide white collars and large floppy bows as was common in Italy.

Rural Smocks

Engish boys have generally worn back buttoning smocks. Here we are not quite sure about the smocks worn in rural areas during the early 19th century. We do not have back view images and many of these smocks look like they may have been pull-over garments rather than back-buttoning garments. This requires further investigation.

Children's Smocks

We have noted English children wearing smocks in a wide variety of smocks. The smocks worn by younger children in urban communities at home appear to be mostly back-buttoning smocks. This is primarily because during the period in which they were most commonly worn, back buttoning smocks were prevalent. Unfortunately we have very few 19th century images. Front buttoning smocks did not appear until the 1950s and by that time smocks were little worn by English boys. There are many other stylistic elements. We note diffrences in slee length, collar trratement, smocking, waitabands, and oher elements. The smocks worn by English boys generally had plain collars. They were not generally worn with wide white collars and large floppy bows as was common in Italy.

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Created: March 3, 2003
Last updated: September 18, 2003