Figure 1.--This boy from Janesville, Wisconsin had his portrait taken with his faithful dog. The portrait is undated, but looks to be from the 1890s. Notice his knee pants suit and long stocking match. Rge boy looks to be about 12 years old.

American boys began wearing knnepants after the mid-19th century. We see younger boys wearing kneepants in the 1860s, oftern rather long knee pants cut at calf level. The the fashion did not become widespread for even older boys until the 1890s. Early kneepants were long, often cut at calf level. Kneepants by the 1880s began to be cut shorter at knee level. By the 1890s even older boys were wearing then. This varied, however, from family to family. Not all boys wore knee pants, although they were very common. Social class factors were involved. In the 1910s knickers began replacing kneepants, but kneepants were still worn in the early 1920s, but primary by younger school-age boys. Knee pants were commonly brought as part of a suit. They could be purchased separately. But the area of catalog space devoted to suits as compared to just the trousers suggest that knee pants were mostly purchased as suits. Wearing suits was much more common at the time than currently. Early kneepants were long, often cut at calf level. Kneepants by the 1880s began to be cut shorter and by the 90s knee level was the standard. The cut of knee pants tended to be rather form fitting. They were often referred to as straight-leg knee pants into contrast to the more baggy knickers. The age of American boys wearing knee pants varied over time. At first in the mid-19th century they were worn by younger boys. By the 1890s even older boys were wearing knee-length knee pants. This began to change again during the the 1910s when mostly younger boys wore knee pants, older boys more commonly wore knockers or long pants. In the 1910s knickers began replacing kneepants, but kneepants were still worn in the early 1920s, but primary by younger school-age boys. Knee pants were very widely worn by American boys. This varied, however, from family to family. Social class factors were involved. Some boys wore long pants even in grade school. Demofraphics was also a factor. We see more rural boys wearing long pants than in the city.

Chronology

Knee pants appeared in the mid-19th century. They were first worn by younger boys 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 the fashion did not become widespread for even older boys until the 1890s. A good example is an unidentified boy from Boston, Massachusetts about 1890. Another example is a Chicago boy, Robert Mason Hamilton, in 1897. Kneepants become shorter in the 1890s, commonly cut to knee lengths. Kne pants were almost universal at the turn of the 20th century. A good example is two New York City boys. Knee pants cointinued to be widekly wrn in the 1900s. A good example is Harry Lodge about 1908. Styles changed dramatically in the 1910s. We see boys mostlt wearing knickers by the 1910s, although some younger boys still wore knee pants into the early 20s.

Suits

Knee pants were commonly brought as part of a suit. They could be purchased separately. But the area of catalog space devoted to suits as compared to just the trousers suggest that knee pants were mostly purchased as suits. Wearing suits was much more common at the time than currently.

Length

Early kneepants were long, often cut at calf level. Kneepants by the 1880s began to be cut shorter and by the 90s knee level was the standard.

Cut

The cut of knee pants tended to be rather form fitting. They were often referred to as straight-leg knee pants into contrast to the more baggy knickers.

Age

The age of American boys wearing knee pants varied over time. At first in the mid-19th century they were worn by younger boys. By the 1890s even older boys were wearing knee-length knee pants. Knee pants by the 1890s were a standard for boys. We see boys of all ages wearing them. A good example is 9 year old Harvey Eldridge Hannaford. This began to change again during the the 1910s when mostly younger boys wore knee pants, older boys more commonly wore knickers or long pants. In the 1910s knickers began replacing kneepants, but kneepants were still worn in the early 1920s, but primary by younger school-age boys.

Prevalence

Knee pants were very widely worn by American boys. This varied, however, from family to family. Social class factors were involved. Some boys wore long pants even in grade school. Demographics was also a factor. We see more rural boys wearing long pants than in the city.

Social Class

We notice shortened-length pants peimarily being worn by affluent families throughout most of the 19th century. This only began to change when we note boys of all social classess weaing kneepants. This had become standard by the 1890s for virtually all boys. We even note knee pants being worn in poor rural communities. A good example is an isolated Tennessee school in 1902.

Hosiery

American boys commonly wore knee pants with long stockings. Note that Kazoo Suspender waists, popular in the United Stastes during the 1910s and early 1920s, were sold in sizes up to age 18, which is a good indication that boys wore knee pants until that age. See the attached Kazoo ad, which appeared in the Ladies Home Journal (September, 1921, p. 120), which says that suspender waists for long stockings were for boys 4 to 18. The long stockings were commonly chosen to match the color of the suit. Bacl long stockings became increasingly common in the 1890s.

Created: 6:34 PM 1/27/2007
Last updated: 11:22 PM 11/7/2007