Knee pants appeared in the mid-19th century. They were first worn by younger boys from fshionable families and cut rather long, often to calf level. They gradually increased in popularity subsequently during the 19th century. They continued to be quite long and were mostly worn by yonger boys even in the 1880s. We see many boys still wearing long pants in the 1880s. This changed dramatically in the 1890s. They were wideky worn by America boys by the 1890s. Most boys wore them. More boys and we think older boys wore knee pants than in any other country. American boys began wearing knnepants after the mid-19th century. We see younger boys wearing kneepants in the 1860s, but were generally worn at calf length. They were still mostly worn by younger boys in the 1870s. We begin to see actual knee-length knee pants in the 1880s. A good example is Eddie Wilson, a New York boy in 1882. The fashion did not become widespread for even older boys until the 1890s. By this time knee pants were almost universal for boys, especially in urban areas. A good example is an unidentified boy from Boston, Massachusetts about 1890. We see teenagers beginning to wsear knee pants in the early 1890s. A good example is an unidentified Iowa boy who looks to be about 14 years old. Another example is a Chicago boy, Robert Mason Hamilton, in 1897. Kneepants become shorter in the 1890s, commonly cut to knee lengths. Knee pants were almost universal at the turn of the 20th century. A good example is two New York City boys.

The 1800s

Most boys and men wore knee breeches in the 18th century. We have very little information about the early-19th century. Long pants skeleton suits were populr for stylish boys in the cities. We are less sure about the rural areas where most people lived. As far as we can tell most boys by the end of the decade were wearing long pants.

The 1840s

The invention of the Daguerreotype in France (1839) soon reached merica which quickly developed the world'd largest photographic industry. This resulted in the creation of large numbers of photographic images in the 1840s. There were as many photographic studios in America as in all of Europe. The resulting photographic record was small compared to what was to come, but provides images an order of magnitude above wht ws availble before. We have not yet found a Dag showing boys wearinf shoetened-length pants. Images of boys not yet breeched are also rare. What we have found shows most boys wearing long pants, including younger boys. We believe that a few younger boys may have wore knee pants, but if so it is clear that it as not very common. The photographic record suggests that American boys almost all wore long pants, even the younger boys.

The 1850s

Shortened-length pants appeared in the mid-19th century. We think this was during the 1850s, at least to any extent. It is difficult to determine with any percision because so few images are dated. We have not yet found Dags showing boys wearing shortened-length pants. Dags were, however, no longer the only commercial photographic format. The Ambrotype appeared (mid-1850s). It was a cheaper formt, because a glass late was used rather than a metal plte and soon became the primary format. Like the Dags, only one imge was created and they were caried in cases. We have found a few Ambros showing boys wearing knee pants. While they are not dated, they surely were taken in the mid- to late 1850s. The early-60s re also possiblem but both Dags abd nvros were quickly replaced by the CDV in the early-60s. Shortened-length pants were first worn by younger boys and cut rather long, often to calf level. They gradually increased in popularity subsequently during the 19th century. A good example is a younger boy in the late 1850s. It should be stressed that long pontswere moew common, even for tounger boys, but we do see a few exmples.

The 1860s

Most American boys continued to wear long pants in the 1860s. We see, however, quite a number of boys wearing knee pants for the first time in the 1860s. Most boys still wore long pants, but we do see some boys wearing shiotened-length pants. Almost al of the boys wearing shirtened-length pants were younger boys wearung knee pants. Most younger boys still wore long pants, but the photographic record shows quite a number of boys wearing knee pants. Most were long knee pants cut at calf level.

The 1870s

We see more boys weating knee pants in the 1870s. Most boys wore long pants, even quite young boys. We seen many younger boys wearing knee pants, especially by the end of the decade. Usually we see boys up to about 8 years of age wearing knee psnrs, pergaps 10 years by the end of the decade. This was most common in the cities among fashionable families. We see only a few boys older than 10 years wearing knee pants. One example is an unidentified Indiana boy.

Figure 9.--This unidentified Connedcticut boy wears a checkjed Norfolk suit with knee pants. The caninet portrait is undated, but looks like the 1880s to us. Notice that the kneepants extend soewhat below the knee.

The 1880

Knee pants continued to be quite long and were mostly worn by yonger boys even in the 1880s. We see many boys still wearing long pants in the 1880s. This changed dramatically in the 1890s. They were wideky worn by America boys by the 1890s. Most boys wore them. More boys and we think older boys wore knee pants than in any other country. American boys began wearing knnepants after the mid-19th century. We see younger boys wearing kneepants in the 1860s, but were generally worn at calf length. They were still mostly worn by younger boys in the 1870s. We begin to see actual knee-length knee pants in the 1880s. A good example is Eddie Wilson, a New York boy in 1882. The fashion did not become widespread for even older boys until the 1890s. By this time knee pants were almost universal for boys, especially in urban areas. A good example is an unidentified boy from Boston, Massachusetts about 1890.

Figure 10.--We note most Am,erican boys wearing knee pants in the 1890s. Knee pants became stanfard wear for boys. We even see teenagers wearing them. This boy looks to be about 14 years old.

The 1890s

Knee pants among American boys increased significantly in popularity during the 1890s. They were not quite as common in rural areas, but they became the standard wear for American boys. Not only do we see more boys wearing knee pants, but we see older boys wearing them as well. They are very common in the photographic record and we see them represented as the most common type of boys' trousers offered in catalogs and advertising. We see teenagers beginning to wear knee pants in the early 1890s. A good example is an unidentified Iowa boy who looks to be about 14 years old. Another example is a Chicago boy, Robert Mason Hamilton, in 1897. Family portaits commonly show teenagers wearing knee pants until aboput age 15 years. After this the pattern is more varied. We even see older teenagers wearing them, although unlike boys and younger teens they were not univerrsal. The age at which boys made the transitiin from knee pants to long pnts varied from family to family. Kneepants become shorter in the 1890s, commonly cut to knee lengths. And the stAndard klength becomes just at or below the knee cap in the 1890s. We no longer see the longer lengths tht were fairly common earlier. Knee pants were almost universal at the turn of the 20th century. A good example is two New York City boys.

Created: 6:57 PM 1/30/2009
Last updated: 1:10 AM 9/16/2022