Children's School Clothing in the 1920s

The classes of people in the 1920s did not include only flappers and gangsters. Mothers stayed home to tend to the family, fathers worked and children went to school every day to complete their educations. Clothes children played in were different from their school clothes, which were more conservative and appropriate for education.

  1. Girl's Dresses and Skirts

    • Young girls rarely wore pants to school in the 1920s. During the summer, to keep them cool, they wore simple cotton dresses. The winter season called for thick, woolen serge skirts that were stiff and straight, as well as woolen jerseys with suspender-like straps to keep them snug and warm. Girls liked colors and patterns so their dresses were often decorated in flowers and dots.

    Boys Pants

    • American boys wore knickers when boys in other countries wore shorts. When an older boy came of age, he wore short pants while younger boys wore long pants in England and other parts of Europe. Pants were closed with buttons in the beginning of the 1920s. The first zipper was manufactured in 1924, though it was still some time before they were used on pants.

    Layers

    • As with their parents' clothes in the 1920s, children wore layers. Knit cardigans that buttoned in the front were worn by girls during the winter. For extra warmth, young girls also wore liberty bodices with suspenders that were attached to their stockings. Fair Isle slipover sweaters were worn by boys for extra layering during cold months.

    Accessories

    • Socks and stockings were important components in 1920s school uniforms. As girls wore dresses and skirts and boys wore shorts, their legs needed to be covered. During the summer months, this was not necessary, but during winter, socks and stockings made of wool were worn. Summertime called for canvas shoes or sandals and lace-up leather shoes. Victorian lace-up leather boots were worn during the winter.

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