Figure 1.--These Belgian brothers wear white long pants button-on sailor suits with traditional styling. The images are undated, but we believe that they look like post World War II images, perhaps the late 1940s. |
|
HBC has little chrological information about Belgian sailor suits at this time. We believe the fashion trends were similar to that in France. I'm not sure when they first became popular in Belgium, presumably about the same time that they became popular in France. We note a lot of Belgian boys wearing sailor suits in the early 20th century, but believe they were popular much before that. We know that the European naval arms race began in ernest in the 1890s, but as Belgium was not a naval power, this may not have been a factor influencing the popularity of the fashion. Belgium boys fashions were probably largely determened by the larger countries surrounding it--England France, and Germany. At the turn of the century most Belgian boys appear to have had a sailor suit and commonly wore it. They were still commonly worn to school by boys in the 1920s, but declined in popularity during the 1930s. We also see them being worn for formal occassions such as First Communions.
We are not sure when sailor suits first appeared as boys wear in Belgium. We suspect it was much as the same time, probanly the 1860s. We are unable at this time to follow 19th century developments in any detail because our archive of 19th century Belgian images is so limited. We know that the European naval arms race began in ernest in the 1890s, but as Belgium was not a naval power, this may not have been a factor influencing the popularity of the fashion. Belgium boys fashions were probably largely determened by the larger countries surrounding it--England France, and Germany.
Many Belgian boys at the turn of the 20th century appear to have had a sailor suit and commonly wore it. The sailor suit is commonly seen as a middle-class garment, so it may have been especially common among middle-class boys. The sailor suit was one of the most popular childrens styles. Both boys and girls wore them. We notice them being worn both as casual garments and to school. They also might be worn to formal occassions. We note a range of different styles. The styles as well as age conventions varied over time. Sailor suits were still commonly worn to school by boys in the 1920s, but declined in popularity during the 1930s. We also see them being worn for formal occassions such as First Communions. we notice quite a few of these First Communion images through the 1930s.
Sailor Suit Country Related Pages:
[Return to theMain country sailor suit page]
[American]
[Belgian]
[English]
[French]
[German]
[Italian]
Other Related Pages:
[Sailor suits]
[Kilts]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Sailor Hats]
[Blouses]
[Ring Bearers]
[Long hair]
[Ringlet curls]
[Hair bows]
[Bangs]
[Collars]
[Bows]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[About Us]
[Return to the Main Belgian garment page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Countries]
[Essays]
[Garment index]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[French glossary]
[Dutch glossary]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]