During the 1950s uniforms were exceedingly popular around the world. The Boy Scouts of America alone had more than 3 million uniformed members. The communist Young Pioneers were all but compulsory in the Soviet Block countries and China, which leads to an estimate of 10s of millions of uniformed members. School uniforms dominated the British Isles with the famous prop school short pants, tie, and peaked cap still worn in Australia and New Zealand. Of course church sponsored schools also mandated uniforms, which may have had millions of boys in uniform. Of course, organized sports uniformed millions of more boys in uniforms. We see all kinds of different uniforms or cistumes in the 1950s. The best know are Scout and other youth group uniforms. Natioanlist groups disappear, but the Communists seizing control in many countries adopted both school uniforms and Young Pioneer uniforms. Costumes were wiorn for religious ceremonies. There wee also olay costumes involving uniforms. And a number of countries adopted school uniforms. They were esoecially common in Britain. Few countries ion the continenty had uniforms, except in the Communist countries. Sveral countries did have smocks.

Poularity of Uniforms

During the 1950s uniforms were exceedingly popular around the world, at least for youth groups. The Boy Scouts of America alone had more than 3 million uniformed members. And the uniform were an importnt part of the program. Amnerican Scouts might wear their uniforms to school. Although banned by the Communists in Eastern Europoe, Scouting in Western Europe recovered from the War and was very popular. and Scout grouos there gave considerable attention tgo the iniform. The communist Young Pioneers were all but compulsory in the Soviet Block countries and China, which leads to an estimate of 10s of millions of new members. The European Pioneer boys and girls began wearing unfirms as economies began recovering from World wae II, albeit slowe than in the West. In China, chilkdren might wear red scarves, but Pioneer uniforms were not common. School uniforms dominated the British Isles with the prep school short pants, tie, and peaked cap still worn in Australia and New Zealand. Of course church sponsored schools also mandated uniforms, which may have had millions of boys in uniform. Of course, organized sports uniformed millions of more boys in uniforms ranging from simple shorts, socks and jerseys to miniature gladiators encased in American football uniforms. Play uniforms (military, police, fireman, etc.) were extremely popular in the English speaking countries and can be seen in many of the catalogs during the 1950.

Figure 1.-- This photo shows a very proud, brand new American Tenderfoot Boy Scout. Everything is new with dark un-faded cloth. His shirt doesn't have his unit insignia and is a bit too big, but does have his badge of rank (Tenderfoot), Webelos badge, and cub scout years of service star. If you look really closely you will see where mother left very large cuffs on the pants to allow for growth. Even his shoes are shiny bright with brand new laces.

Types of Uniforms

We see all kinds of different uniforms or cistumes in the 1950s. The best know are Scout and other youth group uniforms. Natioanlist groups disappear, but the Communists seizing control in many countries adopted both school uniforms and Young Pioneer uniforms. Costumes were wiorn for religious ceremonies. There wee also olay costumes involving uniforms. And a number of countries adopted school uniforms. They were esoecially common in Britain. Few countries ion the continenty had uniforms, except in the Communist countries. Sveral countries did have smocks.

Scouts

Countries developed their own very different Boy Scout uniform styles, making international jamborees quite colorful events. The only consistent thread around the world was that all Scouts wore short pants and keesocks. Other elements of the uniform such as caps and shorts were quite varied. The colors of the uniform also varied widely. The only significant exceptions to the short pants and kneesocks was Scotland where the boys wore kilts and the United Sates where boys mostly wore long pants, as shown in figure-1. If you look really closely, you will notice that the new Tenderfoot has his pants pockets button up in the "field position", and hasn't learned how to buckle his belt "brass on brass" so there are a couple of inches of belt just hanging in space. Some American Scouts wore shorts, but except for camp and jambores, most Scouts wore long pants. American Cubs were even less likely to wear short pants than the older Boy Scouts. This is because Cub camps were less common in the 1950s than is the case today. And it was at camp outings and Jamborees where Boy Scouts were most likely to wear the short pants uniform.

Nationalist youth groups

Nationalist youth groups were common inthe 1930s and early 40s, but disappeared after the defeat of the Axis countries in World War II. Thus we no longer see groups of any importance.

Communist Pioneers

With the Soviet Union's victory in World War II, they seized control of Eastern and some of Central Europe. The process differed somewhat from country to country, but they very quickly banned Scouting. Some Scouting leaders were arrested. The Communist Young Pioneers were instituted as the only permitted youth group. The Pioneers were a school-bvased group and the uniforms were basically the same as the school uniforms adopted. The same orocess also occurred in Asia (China, North Vietnam, and North Korea. The Asian countries, presumably because of general poverty , did not have uniforms for the children, except for special show groups.

Religious costumes

Children, espcially boys, wore a range of costumes for religious services. Catholic boys wore costumes or specil suits as altar boys and for Fitst Communion. Protestant boys dressed up for Confirmation. There were many other costumes involved in other religiious services.

Play Uniforms

Play uniforms (military, police, fireman, etc.) were extremely popular in the English speaking countries and can be seen in many of the catalogues during the 1950.

School Uniforms

School uniforms were not as popular as yiouth gtroup uniforns, at leastr with the children. American boys generally did not wear uniforms. There were uniforms at private chools and parochial schools began adopting uniforms. mostly wore long pants to school. Primary school boys often wore jeans. Secondary school boys mostly wore slacks, often jeans were not allowed. Boys in Bruitish schools commonly wore short pants and kneesocks. Many state primary schools did not have uniforms, but secondary schools did. Smocks were still quite common in French and Italian schools, as were short pants. Uniforms were not common on the continent, but smocks were wiorn in several cojuntries. And the Soviet Union and satellite countries in its Eastern Europeam empire began adopting uniforms. Japanese boys by the end of the decade began wearing smarter uuniforms as the recovering economy began giving parents greater buying power. The uniforms began including short cut short pants, both at schools which required uniform and those that did not.