Figure 1.--We do not know this boy's name, but wecknow he had his portrait taken December 27, 1884 at age 14 years. During the 1880s it was still mostly younger boys wearing knee pants. The photographer was J.R. Pearson who had studios at Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Notice the boy's hat.

The age of boys wearing long pants has varied over time as fashion trends and conventions have fluctuated. Boys of all ages after breeching in the early 19th century commonly wore long pants at a time when aduts might wear knne breeches. We do not see shortened-length panrs until mid-century. The first shortened length pants (knee pants and bloomer knickers) were worn by yonger boys who had been breeched, boys from about 4-8 years of age. These were shoetened-length pants made for fancy suits. Older boys and many younger boys at this time mostly wore long pants. We do not see older boys commonly wearing knee pants until the 1890s. Not all boys wore knee pants, but they were very common. We even see older teenagers wearing them. They then became standard for American boys. The fashion shifted to knickers in the 1910s. A boy's first pair of long pants became a major event--at least for the boy. Fashion choices for boys varied among families. Some quite young boys might wear long pants, but until the 1940s many American boys did not wear long pants until they were 13-16 years old. After Workd war II, long pants became common even for very young boys. Short pants became more of a casual, warm weather garment, although many boys in the 1950s and 60s did not want to wear them at all. This began to change in the 1970s.

Age 1

The age of boys wearing long pants has varied over time as fashion trends and conventions have fluctuated. Most 1 year olds in the 19th century wore dresses. This was als the case in the early 20th century. Gradually this conventioned declined, but one year olds would wear a variety of shortened pants outfits. Only after World war II do we begin to see long pants being made for such young boys.

Age 3

Boys of all ages after breeching in the early 19th century commonly wore long pants. The age of breeching varied, but some boys were breeched as early as 3 years of age. Most boys still wore dresees, but we see some 3 year olds wearing long pants. Boys in the early 19th century wore long pants at the time when aduts might wear knee breeches.

Age 4

Many boys in the 19th century were breeched by age 4, thus we see more 4 year olds wearing pants. This was mostly long pants in the early 19th century. We do not see shortened-length panrs until mid-century. The first shortened length pants (knee pants and bloomer knickers) were worn by yonger boys who had been breeched, boys from about 4-8 years of age. These were shoetened-length pants made for fancy suits. Older boys and many younger boys at this time mostly wore long pants. And even most ypunger boys , even 4 year plds wore them. A good example is an unidentified 4-year old and his older brother in the 1860s

Age 6

Most 6 year old wore long pants in the early 19th century. This began to change at mid-century as we see suits with shortened-length pants for younger boys. These were, however, stylish outfits mostly worn by boys from afluent families. Most 6-year olds still wore long pants. A good example is an unidentified boy about 1860. Age 6 is a critical age for boys because this is when they begin school and thus begin to become more independent. About the same time as shortenened-length pnts appeared (mid-century), the public school system began to be more formalized. Most boys at early schools wore long pants. This is because many boys from more afluent families were schooled at hime or in private schools. We begin to see more boys wearing shortened-length pants in the 1870s, but 6-year olds were mostly wearing knee pants by the 1880s and they were virtually universal by the 1890s. The fasgion changed to knickers in the 1910s and most 6year olds also wore knickers in the 1920s. Many 6-year olds also wore short pants. We do not see manu 6-year olds wearing long pants until the 1940s, especially the late 40s. There was some seasonal variation as many 6 year olds were wearing long pants during the winter by the 1930s.

Age 7

Boys includung 7-year olds and men wore knee knee breeches (18th century). This began to change around the turn of the 19th centyry. Boys began wearing long pants. Skeleton suits were fashionable wear in American cities. Most American boys did not live in cities. They lived on farms and they did not wear fashionable skeleton suits. Boys continued wearing long pants until mid-century. At this time younger boy in fashionable families, again mostly in the cities, began wearing shortened length pants, but school age boys including 6 and 7 years olds continued wearing long pants. We see 7 year old commonly wearing shirtened-length pants, mostly knee pants (1870s). Knee pants were standard for American boys for several decades. An exception was sailor suits which were very popular for 7 year old. They could be worn with long pants, although knee pants were more common. The virtually standard knee pants for 7 year olds did not change until after the turn of the 20th century (1910s). At this time boys including 7-year old began mostly wearing knickers. We see some 7-year olds wering short pants, but knickers were more common (1920s). Here social class was a factor. This began to change with boys wearing shirts, knickers, and long pants (1930s). We mostly see 7-year olds wearing short pants or knickers in the early 30s, but by the end of the decade even some 7-year olds had begun wearing long pants. Long pants jeans became bery common first for younger boys like 7-year olds and gradually for teens as well. This trend continued into the 1960s. At this time the conventions for long pants began to change. Long pants had become standard, but during the summer for casual wear short pants began to bcome increasingly common. By the end of the century we begin to see long baggy shorts becoming increasinly common.

Age 10

Most 10 year olds in the 19th century wore long pants. We do not begin to see 10-year olds wearing shoetened-length pants, mostly knee pants, until the 1870s. More boys at age 10 were wearing knee pants in the 1880s and they were virtually universal for 10-year olds by the 1890s. Boys at age 10 commonly wote knickers in the early 20th century. Some boys by the 1920s wore short pants. After Workd war II, long pants became common even for very young boys. Short pants became more of a casual, warm weather garment, although many boys in the 1950s and 60s did not want to wear them at all. This began to change in the 1970s.

Age 12

Most 12 year olds wore long pants throughout the 19th century. Only by the late 19th century do we begin to see 12-year olds commonly wearing shortened-length pants, mostly knee pants. We do not see older boys commonly wearing knee pants until the 1890s. We note boys in cities, especially from fashionable families wearing knee pants at age 12 in the 1880s, nbut they were still not common in rural areas where boys in the 19th century still commonly wore long pants. Not all 12 year olds wore knee pants, but most in the 1890s did. The style shifted to knickers in the 1910s, but we do not begin to see many 12 year olds wearing long pants until the 1930s.

Age 13

Most 13 year olds wore long pants throughout the 19th century. Only by the late 19th century do we begin to see 13-year olds commonly wearing shortened-length pants, mostly knee pants. We do not see older boys commonly wearing knee pants until the 1890s. We do note note many 13 year olds wearing knee pants in the 1880s. BOth city and country boys at this age wore long pants. This changed significantly in the 1890s. Knee pants becamne standard boys wear and this included 13 year olds. Not all 13 year olds wore knee pants, but most did. The fashions changed to knickers in the 1910s, but many 13 year old still wore them. A boy's first pair of long pants became a major event--at least for the boy. Fashion choices for boys varied among families. Some families brought boys their first long pants suit at age 13. Others might not do this until 14 or 15 or even later. The age trends became younger as the 20th century progressed. Some quite young boys might wear long pants, but until the 1940s many American boys did not wear long pants until they were 13-16 years old.

Age 15

Most 15 year olds wore long pants throughout the 19th century. Only by the late 19th century doing we see 15-year olds wearing shortened-length pants, mostly knee pants. We see older boys commonly wearing knee pants until the 1890s. Not all 15 year olds wore knee pants, but quite a number did.

Age 17

Most 17 year olds wore long pants throughout the 19th century. We even see older teenagers wearing them. Knee pants were becoming standard for pre-teen American boys in the 1880s. And by the 1890s they were becoming standard for teenagers as well, especially teenagers still in school. We see boys in high school wearing them into their senior year.

Created: 3:46 AM 11/19/2004
Last updated: 7:58 AM 10/10/2019