Figure 1.--Here are two brothers in 1931. Colorful sweaters and corduroy knickers were very pipular school outfits during the 1930s. As was common at the time, he wears his knickers with long black stockings. Notice the little brother wears a beret and snow pants.

Knickers were very commonly worn by American boys in the 1930s. Knee pants were no longer common in the early 30s and had disappeared by the end of the decade. Knickers were especially common in the early-30s. Older boys were less likely to wear them, but they were still very common. A good example is an air show about 1930. Several boys can be been in the photograph and they are almost all wearing knickers. There were social class factors here. We believe tha knickers were more common with middle-class than working-class boys. Probably boys attending an air show were from middle-class or other affluent familirs. Knickers were very common in primary (elementary) schools. Most boys wore knickers with long stockings or knee socks at the behinning of the decade. By the end of the decade we see more and more boys wearing ankle sicks with knickers. Younger teens might wear them to high school, but this was much less common by the end of the decade. Younger boys might wear shortpants, but here social-class factors were involved. Short pants were most common among affluent familirs especially for boys beyond 6-7 years of age. Shorts by the 30s were to some extent seasonal. we see quite a number of boys wearing shorts in the summer, especially in the South. Perhaps even more important were other factors such as age and family conventions. Some boys wore shorts even in the winter. We see more and more boys wearing long pants which were quite common by the end of the decade. Boys in rural areas still often wore overalls, even to school.

Decade Trends

Knickers were very commonly worn by American boys in the 1930s. Most boys at the beginning of the 1930s wore knickers. Knee pants were no longer common in the early-30s and had disappeared by the end of the decade. Knickers were especially common in the early-30s. Older boys were less likely to wear them, but they were still very common. Older boys began to wear long pants and by the end of the decade many younger boys had also began to wear longs. Younger American boys might wear short pants, especially during the summer, but most wanted knickers or long pants by the time they began school.

Types

We note American boys weafring many types of pants or trousers during the 1930s. We notice long pants, knickers, and short pants. KnickersThe dominate style of pants for most boys during the most of the 1930s was knickers. Long pants were growing in popularity and by the end of the decade had begun to replace knickers as the most popular pants style for boys. Knickers wre the most common pants for school age boys, at least until the began high school. Some younger teens might wear knicktrs, but this was becoming less common by the 1930s. Most boys in high school wore long pznts. Yonger boy might wear shoryt pants, both for play and dtrssing up. We notice some short psnts suits, but they were not very common for boys over 10 years old. Generall long pants slowly became ncreaingly common as the decade progressed. We notice overalls being worn in rural areas. Younge children wore snow suits which had sppecial pants with a stirup arrangement at the leg hem.

Social Class

Social class affected the type of pants boys wore. A good example is an air show about 1930. Several boys can be been in the photograph and they are almost all wearing knickers. There were social class factors here. We believe tha knickers were more common with middle-class than working-class boys. Probably boys attending an air show were from middle-class or other affluent families. Younger boys might wear shortpants, but here social-class factors were involved. Short pants were most common among affluent familirs especially for boys beyond 6-7 years of age.

School Wear

Knickers were very common in primary (elementary) schools. Boys in rural areas still often wore overalls, even to school, but this was not as common as in the 20s..

Hosiery

The American hosiery industry truly began to flourish in the 20th century. Cotton, wool, and combinations of these fabrics in vivid colors and patterns caught the fashionable man's fancy. It was also during this period that sports hose in knitted wool, mixtures of wool and silk, and wool and cotton gained in popularity. Most boys wore knikers with long stockings or knee socks at the behinning of the decade. Almost all boys wore long stockings and to a lesser extent knee socks in the 1920s. This changed in the 30s. We note boys moistly wearing knee socks with knickers. Bright colored knee socks became popular. ,We also see short socks. Long stockings were also worn during the winter. Long stockings were declining in populrity, but quite a number of younger boys wore them. Tan colors had largely replaced black stockings, except for formal occassions. And older children might wear long stockings for formal occassions. We seen many boys wearing knee socks with knickers. During the summer and for school we note boys beginning to wear ankle socks with knickers. This is something we rarely see in the 1920s. A factor here may have been long pants. Knickers were widely worn in the 1930s, but as the decade progressed we see more and more boys wearing long pants. We are not sure what kind of hosiery was worn with long pants, but suspect it was mostly ankle socks. Some boys wore short pants, but not nearly as commonly as in Europe. By the end of the decade, ankle socks were becoming the standard hosiery even with knickers which were going out of style.

Age Trends

Knickers were common for boys, exept older teenagers. Younger teens might wear them to high school, but this was much less common by the end of the decade. Some mostly younger boys wore short pants and some mostly older boys wore long pants. >br>

Seasonality

Shorts by the 30s were to some extent seasonal. we see quite a number of boys wearing shorts in the summer, especially in the South. Perhaps even more important were other factors such as age and family conventions. Some boys wore shorts even in the winter. We see more and more boys wearing long pants which were quite common by the end of the decade.

Usage

There were both dress aand play pants. Some were purchased specifically for one use. Some pants were intially worn forcdress-up occassions and school and then became play pants as they hegan to show the wear.

Suits and Dress Pants

American boys in the 1930s wore suits with short pants, knickers, and long pants. Short pants suits were mostly worn by younger boys, although some older boys, especially boys from afluent families were more likely to wear them. Most American boys wore knicker suits, although not as commonly as in the 1920s. Most older boys had long pants suits.

Casual and play Wear

Casual and play shorts were also worn mosly by younger boys--mostly during the summer. Somewhat older boys might wear play shorts, but even play shorts were not commonly worn by boys past elementary school. Many boys went to camp during the summer. Some of the more expensive camps had uniforms. Usually shirts with the camp logo and short pants. Some of these shrts had a vertical stripe on the side.

Created: 1:55 AM 4/24/2007
Last updated: 1:55 AM 4/24/2007