Swiss Boys' Clothes: Garments--Hosiery


Figure 1.--Here we see a boy and his father playing in the snow with a sled. The picture was taken somewhere in Switzerland in 1945. The father wears an argyle-style, V-neck pullover with plus fours (knickers that are bloused rather fully and come down several inches below the knee). He seems to be wearing tan knee socks underneath the knickers. The boy wears short trousers with brown long stockings. The hosiery in both cases are probably woolen. Notice that the boy wears very heavy extra short socks (for additional warmth) that are turned down over his hightop shoes. This was a popular style for hiking and outdoor activities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The father seems to wear suede low-cut shoes. A reader writes, "The kind of trouser the father is wearing is the same as Tintin's, the world famous belgian hero I loved so much when a kid. Those one were worn by adults and teenagers before World War II, until about 1955 in French-speaking countries like France, Belgium and Switzerland (Geneve area)."

We note Swiss boys wearing a range of hosiery over time. Swiss boys like German boys also continued wearing long stockings in the 1920s as they were declining in popularity in other countries. A Swiss reader from a french-speaking family reports that going to primary school in the 1940s that boys mostly wore short pants under their smocks. During the winter some boys switched to knickers. The other boys that kept wearing shorts would commonly wear over-the-knee stockings. HBC is unsure at this time as to when tights began to replace long stockings. Tights were weorn by younger boys in several European countries. Most of the countries were northern ones, but the high elevations in Switzerland means that the weather there canb also be quite cold. HBC has only limited information on long stockings in Switzereland. Readers have provided varying accounts, and HBC is unable to assess the situation in Switzerland at this time.

Leggings/Gamaschen

We have noted Swiss mothers knitting what we would call leggings. Mormally leggings are made from stiffer material. These leggings were softer, more like long stoclings except tht they went all the way up go the waist. Thus theuy were rather like tights, except that usually they did not have feet. Tghey were ot commonly bought in stores, but rather knitted by mother or female relatives. A German reader has mentioned these garments to us which he calls Gamaschen or Gamaschenhosen. The same term may have been used in Switzerland, although we are not sure. We think that some of our Swiss reders may ne translating these garments as tights, but leggings may be a better translation. We know of not actual English word for these garments.

Socks

We note Swiss boys wearing a variety of hosiery with trends changing over time. Boys mostly wore long stockings and knee socks in the early 20th century. We note some children wearing three-quter socks. The choiceshere were to sime extent seasonal. I'm not sure if there were differences among German and French speakers. Swiss boys like German boys also continued wearing long stockings in the 1920s, especially during the winter. We see many boys wearing knee socks during the summer. During the inter-War period children mostly wore either knee socks or long stockings. Swiss reader from a French-speaking family reports that going to primary school in the 1940s that boys mostly wore short pants under their smocks. commonly with knee socks. Ankle socks began to become more common after World War II in the 1950s. We still see knee socks in the 60s, but by the 70s most boys were wearing ankle socks. There continued to be seasonal differenes with some children wearing knee socks or tights during the winter.

Stockings

We note Swiss boys wearing a variety of hosiery with trends chnging over time. Boys mostly wore long stockings and knee socks in the early 20th century. We note some children wearing three-quter socks. I'm not sure if there were differences among Germnan and French speakers. Long stockings were not as common in France as in Germany, but I'm not sure if that pattern followed on in Switzerland. Climate may be the more important factor. Swiss boys like German boys also continued wearing long stockings in the 1920s as they were declining in popularity in other countries. Swiss boys also wore tights. A Swiss reader from a French-speaking family reports that going to primary school in the 1940s that boys mostly wore short pants under their smocks. During the winter some boys switched to knickers. The other boys that kept wearing shorts would commonly wear over-the-knee stockings. This coninued ininto the 1950s. pesisting the longest in rural areas abd villages. HBC is unsure at this time as to when tights began to replace long stockings.

Tights

Tights were worn by younger boys in several European countries. Most of the countries were northern ones, but the high elevations in Switzerland means that the weather there canb also be quite cold. HBC has only limited information on long stockings in Switzereland. Readers have provided varying accounts, and HBC is unable to assess the situation in Switzerland at this time.








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Created: 9:35 PM 1/1/2005
Last updated: 6:49 PM 6/2/2010