Figure 1.--These Chicago boys wear matching knee pants suits. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken about 1890.

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. Knee 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 widely worn 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.

The 18th Century

We do not note boys wearing knee pants in the 18th century. We do, however, commonly see both boys and men wearing knee breeches. These breeches commonly had three button closures at the leg hem. These three buttons for some reasons were used as ornamentation on the knee psnts that appeared in the mid-19th century.

The 19th Century

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 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. 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.

Figure 2.--These boys wear knee pants suits in a formal portrait. It was taken about 1905.

The 20th Century

Knee pants cointinued to be widely worn in the 1900s. Almost all boys wore knee pants, even some older teenagers. They were worn both with suits as well as for play and casual wear. Most boys wore knee pants to school in the 1900s. A good example is Harry Lodge about 1908. Some boys wore knickers, but knee pants were much more common. As common as knee pants were in the 1900s, it is surprising how rapidly they were replaced by knickers. Styles changed dramatically in the 1910s. We see boys mostlt wearing knickers by the 1910s. An exception here was boys in rural areas who by the 1910s were commonly wearing overalls. We continue to see younger boys wearing knee pants into the 1910s. Younger boys might wear blouses with knee pants as well as knee pants suit. A good example is Floyd Van Horne wearing a knee pantts Norfolk suit about 1915. This continued into the early 20s.

Created: 11:24 PM 11/7/2007
Last updated: 6:23 AM 9/6/2008