Boys Clothing During the 1930s: Country Trends

 

We have begun to develop some pages on boys' clothing in individual countries during the 1930s. As HBC has expanded we have been able to expand out discussion of 1930s styles to individual countries, at least America and the larger European countries. We hope to eventially get to some of the other European countries as well. There were considerable differences from country to country. American fashions were destinctive, but changing. There were still enough country differences in Europe that it was possible to identify the country from period photographs. American boys commonly wore flat caps and knickers, at the beginning of the decade as was common in the 1920s. This was, however, changing. Boys in rural areas still wore overalls. Long pants were becoming increasingly common by the end of the decade. Short ponts were also worn, but they were not nearly as common as in Europe. They were most common for younger boys or for boys from aflluent families. Major changes occured in English fashions after World War I. This was a general trend that occurred throughout Europe and North America. Dress even for children was still relatively formal in the early 20th century. This was a trend noticeable even before the War, but the deprivations and priorities of the War undoubtedly affected how people viewed formal dress. The 1920s and 30s were very similar. The basic difference is that the post-World War trends we observe in the 1920s were nore advanced in the 30s. We see a range of trends. Younger boys no longer wore dresses to any extent. And we see fewer English boys wearing kilts. The peaked school camp became virtually universal. School garments were a major fashion component. Boys at the time unless from wealthy families had much smaller wardrobes than modern boys. We also notice the gaberdine raincoat. French boys stull wore berets in the 1930s, the last decade in which they were common. Younger boys wore rompers and blouses. Smocks were common at primary school, but not much after school. Short pants were very common. Older boys might wear knickers, especially during the colder winter weather. They were, however, not nearly as common in America. Quite old boys in Europe during the 1930s wore short pants or knickers. Often the choice was made by the parents. School uniforms were not commonly required.Many boys wore knee socks. Long stockings were not very common, byt we see some children wearing them for formalm occassions. French boys also wore a distinctive cloak garment in the winter. We do not see this worn in other countries, except perhaps in Belgium. German fashions are particularly important. German'y large fashion and cloyhing industry affected styles throughout Central and Eastern Europe. We note a wide range of outfits worn bybItakian boys during the 1930s. Rompers might be worn by younger boys in fashionable families, although we are unsure when they first appeared. Sandals appear to have been especially popular. School photographs can be a useful indicator of clothing styles. Many boys went barefoot, especially in rural areas and the south. Some boys in primary school wore smocks, but there were no uniforms in secondary schools.

America

American fashions were destinctive, but changing. American boys commonly wore flat caps and knickers, at the beginning of the decade as was common in the 1920s. This was, however, changing. Boys in rural areas still wore overalls. Long pants were becoming increasingly common by the end of the decade. Short ponts were also worn, but they were not nearly as common as in Europe. They were most common for younger boys or for boys from aflluent families. American boys wore both single and double breasted suits. The boys mostly wore knickers as suit pants. Younger boys might wear short pants, sometimes with middy blouses. By the time they were 8 or 9 years old, sometimes earlier, they wanted knickers or even long pants. Knee socks had replaced the long stockings worn by previous generations. Many men of the era can remember to this day when they got their first pair of knickers and then long pants. A new style of knickers appeared in America during the 1930s. Rather than knickers that buckled at the knee, the new styled was elasticized. The boy then pulled his kneesocks up over the elasticised knicker hem. He then put a garter under the turn-over-top sock cuff to keep the sock up. Rural homemakers later recalled the importance of creativity during the lean years. One reported, "During the hard years, my boys wore short pants made from the legs of men's pants." Others spoke of the usefulness of feed sacks, some of which were printed with colorful patterns. "We made everything from them. We made shirts, dresses, men's shirts and all sorts of clothing from them." Not only clothing but household textiles were manufactured at home from these plain-weave, cotton sacks: "... four feed sacks would make the size of a tablecloth or sheet, and one pillow case could be made from each feed sack." Using feed sacks was not without its perils: "The first things I had was bloomers and slips out of flour sacks that they bleached the names off. Mom was good at that. She didn't leave parts of the name. Some people had Pillsbury on their seat." In the 1930s, even though more household workers were available, only affluent families could afford to hire them. Outwardly men's clothing had changed only subtly by the end of the 1930s. Men and older boys wore suits with wider shoulders and more double-breasted suits. The real changes were underneath. By 1938 men were wearing boxer shorts or knitted briefs with the registered trademark Jockey. The year 1939 provided the first hint of a new generation of textile fibers when DuPont introduced nylon at the New York World's Fair. Stockings and underwear made of nylon sold well until the entry of the U.S. into World War II in 1941 when this fiber was diverted to military use. German boys began wearing shorter shorts in the 1930s, usually with kneesocks duting the summer. Long stockings were still common during the winter. . Dressy knee socks were often white. Sandals were rarely worrn except by very little boys. Sailor suits declined in popularity. Lederhosen became increasingly common. I'm not sure to what extent the NAZI party influenced boys' clothing. The party's influence is unclear, but may have well influenced the type and style of clothing manufactured. The NAZI's interest on folk culture may have been one factor. The Hitler Youth became an important part of a boy's life by the mid-1930s. The uniform may have affected boys' clothing in general.

Belgium


England

Major changes occured in English fashions after World War I. This was a general trend that occurred throughout Europe and North America. Dress even for children was still relatively formal in the early-20th century. This was a trend noticeable even before the War, but the deprivations and priorities of the War undoubtedly affected how people viewed formal dress. The 1920s and 30s were very similar. The basic difference is that the post-World War trends we observe in the 1920s were nore advanced in the 30s. We see a range of trends. Younger boys no longer wore dresses to any extent. And we see fewer English boys wearing kilts. The peaked school camp became virtually universal. School garments were a major fashion component. Boys at the time unless from wealthy families had much smaller wardrobes than modern boys. We also notice the gaberdine raincoat, although we are not sure when they first appeared. The formal Eton collar began to be replaced with soft collars. While dress was becoming more formal, it still seems rather formal to modern readers. Long trousers became increasingly less common in England as the decade progressed. Increasingly English schools turned to brightly colored and stripped blazers with short grey pants. Sailor suits for older boys disappeared in Britain, but were still seen on the Continent. Boys commonly wore suits and blazers with ties. Playwear for younger childen became popular. Fancy styles like the Fauntleroy suit rapidly went out of style. The sailor suit declined in poularity, a development that was not mirrored on the Continent. Short pants becanme increasingly popular and a little shorter. Long stockings declined in popularity, although knee socks were standard, except during the warm summer weather. High-top shoes were replaced with low-cut oxfords and closed-toe sandals became widely worn. They became a standard school garment to the point they became known as school sandals.

France

French boys stull wore berets in the 1930s, the last decade in which they were common. Younger boys wore rompers and blouses. Smocks were common at primary school, but not much after school. Short pants were very common. Older boys might wear knickers, especially during the colder winter weather. They were, however, not nearly as common in America. Quite old boys in Europe during the 1930s wore short pants or knikers. Often the choice was made by the parents. School uniforms were not commonly required. Information available on French schools during the 1930s show that almost all of the younger boys and even many boys at 16 were still wearing short pants. Many boys wore knee socks. Long stockings were not very common, byt we see some children wearing them for formalm occassions. French boys also wore a distinctive cloak garment in the winter. We do not see this worn in other countries, except perhaps in Belgium.


Figure 4.--Some of these senior students at a Catholic secondary school are wearing knickers. I'm not sure what country this was, perhaps French, Belgian, or Poilish. Notice the one boy wearing sandals.

Germany

German fashions are particularly important. German'y large fashion and cloyhing industry affected styles throughout Central and Eastern Europe. German boys began wearing shorter shorts in the 1930s, usually with kneesocks duting the summer. Long stockings were still common during the winter. . Dressy knee socks were often white. Sandals were rarely worrn except by very little boys. Sailor suits declined in popularity. Lederhosen became increasingly common. I'm not sure to what extent the NAZI party influenced boys' clothing. The party's influence is unclear, but may have well influenced the type and style of clothing manufactured. The NAZI's interest on folk culture may have been one factor. The Hitler Youth became an important part of a boy's life by the mid-1930s. The uniform may have affected boys' clothing in general. Black shorts and white kneesocks becoming increasingly common in the 1930s. Shaved hair styles were no longer seen, but short cuts were common. We have done our German chronologu a little differently than most of our country chronology. We have divided German by the Weimar and NAZI era. Most of the 1930s was during the NAZI era (1933-45).

Italy

We note a wide range of outfits worn bybItakian boys during the 1930s. Rompers might be worn by younger boys in fashionable families, although we are unsure when they first appeared. Sandals appear to have been especially popular. School photographs can be a useful indicator of clothing styles. Many boys went barefoot, especially in rural areas and the south. Some boys in primary school wore smocks, but there were no uniforms in secondary schools. We note that boys entering Gynasio (secondary school) mostly wear short pannts. These would have been boys about 12 years old. A gynasio (secondary school) is not a good cross section of the Italian population, but rather would have been made up of the more affluent families--mostly middle class families. This photograph was taken in 1934-35 at Ginasio Parini in Milan. We note a few boyswearing sailor sits, but not very many. Only a few boys wear kneesocks, but this was presumably seasonal. Many boys wear suits, but it was apparently not required. There are boys with ties and open collar shirts.






 
 

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Created: 11:51 PM 7/23/2013
Last updated: 11:51 PM 7/23/2013