Figure 1.--Here we see children all dressed up for what looks like an early-1950s church Christmas party. It is not identified, but we think it is American.

We note a variety of clothing associated with different activities. It was still common in the 1950s for children to dress-up for special occasions. Casual attire was growing in popularity, but we still see childre dressing up. This was especuially true for girls, but boys still vcinnionkly wiore suits abnd ties for church and special occasions. There were still dress-up clothes in the youthful wardrobe. Lots more exciting, however, were the school and sports outfits. Young people now lived in an age calling for simple, casual tailored garments, smart-looking yet thoroughly comfortable and really fun-clothes. Such dress has settled into a pattern. For both sexes there were principally sweaters, pullons, all kinds of knockabout jackets, shorts, slacks and for girls, the attractive dirndl skirts, and all kinds of outer coats of varied length practical for sports and school wear. The average American boy during the 1950s would play in a "t" shirt, often with broad colored horizontal stripes, blue jeans, and Keds. Most boys saw shorts as little boys and girls clothes. Interestingly some boys would play in jeans, but have to dress up in a short pants suit. The opposite of the modern boy who more commonly wears play shorts , but has a long pants suit for dress. Some boys did play in shorts, mostly boys up to 10 or 11. Play shorts were most common in the south and California. The style were boxers with elasticized waists, the length was much shorter than common during the 1940s. Shorts were commonly worn at summer camps. The big hit in the 1950s were blue jeans or levis for roughing it. They were still not thought of as fasinable. Accessories too numerous to itemize appeared. All American boys and many girls wanted to wear them. They were still not considered to be stylish, but they were what boys wanted to wear when they could get away with it. Some came with flannel linings and were often worn by elementary school children. They were banned at most secondary schools. A few American private schools required boys to attend in jackets and shorts, but this involved a relatively small number of boys, primarily as prestigious northeastern schools. American public sch ools had no uniform requirement. High schools did have dress codes, many of which prohibited jeans and shorts. Elementary schools were more flexible, but few boys wore shorts to school, especially after the first or second grade, although this varied somewhat by region.

Dress-up

It was still common in the 1950s for children to dress-up for special occasions. Casual attire was growing in popularity, but we still see childre dressing up. This was especially true for girls, but boys still commonly wore suits abnd ties for church and special occasions even parties. Most boys had suits for these occassions. Tieing one's shoe laces was a major chllenge when you began school. For boys becoming teens, the major challenge was learing to knot a tie.

Play/casual Clothes

There were still dress-up clothes in the youthful wardrobe. Lots more exciting, however, were the school and sports outfits. Young people now lived in an age calling for simple, casual tailored garments, smart-looking yet thoroughly comfortable and really fun-clothes. Such dress has settled into a pattern. For both sexes there were principally sweaters, pullons, all kinds of knockabout jackets, shorts, slacks and for girls, the attractive dirndl skirts, and all kinds of outer coats of varied length practical for sports and school wear. The average American boy during the 1950s would play in a "t" shirt, often with broad colored horizontal stripes, blue jeans, and Keds. Most boys saw shorts as little boys and girls clothes. Interestingly some boys would play in jeans, but have to dress up in a short pants suit. The opposite of the modern boy who more commonly wears play shorts , but has a long pants suit for dress. Some boys did play in shorts, mostly boys up to 10 or 11. Play shorts were most common in the south and California. The style were boxers with elasticized waists, the length was much shorter than common during the 1940s. Shorts were commonly worn at summer camps. The big hit in the 1950s were blue jeans or levis for roughing it. They were still not thought of as fasinable. Accessories too numerous to itemize appeared. All American boys and many girls wanted to wear them. They were still not considered to be stylish, but they were what boys wanted to wear when they could get away with it. Some came with flannel linings and were often worn by elementary school children. They were banned at most secondary schools. The popular jeans would come into their own in the 1960s.

School

A few American private schools required boys to attend in jackets and shorts, but this involved a relatively small number of boys, primarily as prestigious northeastern schools. American public sch ools had no uniform requirement. High schools did have dress codes, many of which prohibited jeans and shorts. Elementary schools were more flexible, but few boys wore shorts to school, especially after the first or second grade, although this varied somewhat by region.

Scouts

The Scouting movement continued to spread around the world. Scouting in America was extremely popular during the 1950s. A large part of American boys participated as Cubs or Scouts. The uniform changed little in the 1950s. Boy Scouts wore an olive green uniorm, generally with campaign caps. Cubs wore blue uniforms with yellow trim and kerchiefs. Cub caps continued to be the peaked caps (same style as British school caps) first introduced by British wolf cubs. American Boy Scouts during the 1950s mostly wore longs. When knickers went out of style, boys mostly shifted to longs rather than shorts--except at camps and jamborees. Some Scout troops did wear shorts with matching plain colored knee socks. The short pants uniform was most common in California and the Southern states. In several cases the troops wore the short pants uniform during the summer. Other troops allowed the boys to decide individually. Over most of the country, however most American Scouts generally wore longs. This was particularly true of Cub packs and few American Cubs wore the short pants uniform.

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Created: 8:22 PM 5/23/2018
Last updated: 8:22 PM 5/23/2018