Boy's clothing about 1900 - a sign for ...?

When you look at the typical dress of a boy from Berlin



and that of one living in Germany's antipode at about 1900



you'll notice that short legged sailor suits [in German: "kieler knabenanzug"] were popular as well in Australia as in Germany.

I understand that the German fashion went along with the rise of the German navy and Emperor Williams support for it.

In Australia, however,
"At the end of the nineteenth century there was a growing movement to liberate infants and young children from stays and the excessive layers of clothing in which they were usually enclosed." (source: online exhibition: Federal Fashion )

this was seen different.


I'm wondering, if this just was "fashion trend" or if really some 'deeper' intension has to be seen behind this.