Originating in Victorian England in the mid-nineteenth century, the dark blue suit with the striped collar became the standard boys’ wear for Sundays and holidays in bourgeois society. Fashioned after the typical sailor’s uniform, the suit remained en vogue in many European countries until 1930.
Since clothes for German sailors at that time were manufactured exclusively in the north German city of Kiel, the suit became known as the ‘Kiel Blouse.’
Initially worn with shorts and stockings, the soprano and alto singers’ blouse has become the St Thomas Boys Choir’s visual trade mark. The older boys -tenors and basses – perform in traditional dark suit and tie.
The St Thomas Boys Choir, Leipzig, makes its Singapore debut on March 6 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.
