Figure 1.--This German boy, presumably during the winter, wears his short pants suit with long stockings. The snap shot was taken in 1954. Notice the great dog. Notice also the typical German peaked cap that was popular in Germany. This was called a Schirmmutze.

German boys over time wore different kinds of hosiery with short pants suits. We note boys wearing mostly knee socks. This seems to have been the most common hosiery. We also note quite a few younger boys wore long stockings, especially during the winter. This varied from family to family. Boys up to about 11 or 12 might wear long stocking during the winter, but it was less common for older boys. After World War II, long stockings began to become less common, and essentially disappered after the mid-50s. We also see boys began wearing ankle socks with short pants suits. This became increasingly common. Kee socks declined in popularity during the 1960s. We have not noticed boys wearing tights with short pants suirs, primsarily because by the tights appeared, German boys were less commonly wearing short pants suits.

Knee Socks

We note German boys boys wearing mostly wearing short pants suits with knee socks. This seems to have been the most common hosiery. This seems to have been the case from the very beginning in the 1920s when we begin to see German boys commonly wearing short pants suits. Knee socks begin to become less popular in the 1950s and by the 60s they have begun to go out of style for boys.

Long Stockings

We also note quite a few younger boys wore long stockings, especially during the winter. This varied from family to family. Boys up to about 11 or 12 might wear long stocking during the winter, but it was less common for older boys. After World War II, long stockings began to become less common, and essentially disappered after the mid-50s. Here we see a German boy with his dog in 1954 (figure 1). Notice the short pants suit worn with brown long stockings. The boy seems to be about 11 or 12 years old. I am not sure if this is his normal clothing for school. I think the suit with shirt and tie indicates more dress-up clothing, perhaps for church on Sunday. We have some personal accounts from German readers who point out that even after boys had switched to wearing long trousers to school, their parents insisted on the more conservative style of short trousers with long stockings for church and dress-up occasions. We see another image of a unidentified boy wearing a short pants suits with long stockings and a Schirmmutze in 1962.

Ankle Socks

We also see boys began wearing ankle socks with short pants suits. This became increasingly common. Kee socks declined in popularity during the 1960s.

Tights

We have not noticed boys wearing tights with short pants suirs, primsarily because by the tights appeared, German boys were less commonly wearing short pants suits.

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Created: 10:19 PM 6/17/2007
Last updated: 10:49 PM 10/15/2018