** United States boys clothes: garments pants suspension chronology








United States Boys' Trousers/Pants: Suspension Chronology


Figure 1.--We mostly see American boys in the early 20th century wearing suspendersbuttoning on to his pants as a form of trouser suspension. Note that the Wisconsin boy here in 1910 wears suspenders and that his knickers do noy have belt loops.

The various options of trouser suspension varied in popularity over time. We have some information for the 19th century. We notice button-on clothing very commonly in the early and mid-19th century. We also notice suspenders in the 19th century, but are not yet sure when they first appeared. Younger boys at the the turn of the 20th century wore bloomer knickers with bodices. We know much more about the 20th century. We note suspenders rather than belts in the early 20th century. Trousers in the early 20th century were still not made with belt loops. Belts became increasingly popular after Word War I in the 1920s. We note button-on styles being worn very commonly during the 1920s-40s. Suspenders continued to be worn through the mid-20th century. Suspender pants in various forms were worn in the mid-20th century, but were not as common as in Europe. Shortalls were quite popular for younger boys at mid-century. After World war II boys mostly wore belts, although wesee some pre-teen boys wearing suspenders. Suspenders have never disappeared, but belts are by far the dominant type of trouser suspension.

The 19th Century

We have some information for the 19th century. We notice button-on clothing very commonly in the early and mid-19th century. The skeleton suit wa the first deducted children's outfit and s a button-on garmnt. We also notice suspenders in the 19th century, but are not yet sure when they first appeared. Our information, however, is very limited. This is in part because we have primarily used photography as a source of information. And 19th century photography was primarily studio photography dor which cildren weredressed vup in their best outfits. This meant most boys were wearing suit jackets which obscurde the type of trouser suspension. Younger boys not wearing jackets were often wearing button-on outfits. After mid-century, pants often buttoned on to stocking supporters. This is often not picked up in studio prtraits. Girls did not have the same provlem because the skirt was helkd buo by the bodice. Girls wearing skirts did have the same problem, but skirts were not as common in the 19th century as they would bdcome in the 20th century.

The 20th Century

We know much more about the 20th century. Nit bobnkyndo we havemany more photographs, but photography thanks to the Kodak Brownie and similar camera no longer primarily limited to the photographic studio. Younger boys at the the turn of the 20th century wore knee pants or knickers with blouses. We note suspenders rather than belts in the early 20th century. Trousers comminly knee pants (1900s), but were mostly knickers (1910s). In the early 20th century boys pants were still not made commonly made with belt loops. Belt loops were becoming common (1910s). We see them with suits offered by Sears (1910s). Belts were becoming standard after Word War I in the 1920s. We note button-on styles being worn by younger boys very commonly during the 1920s-40s. Suspenders continued to be worn through the mid-20th century, but by the 1930s had become elastisised clip on sispenders. Suspender pants in various forms were worn in the mid-20th century, but were not as common as in Europe. Shortalls were quite popular for younger boys at mid-century. After World War II boys mostly wore belts, although we see some pre-teen boys wearing suspenders. This was mist coimmon with the yiunger primary school boys. Suspenders have never disappeared, but belts are by far the dominant type of trouser suspension for boys. There were also elastisied pants, commonly casual short pants. This included partially elasticized pants. Girls had similar issues with skirts which were much more cpmmon in the 230tyh centurty. We see hirls wearing sisdpender skirts, but not the clip on suspenders that boys commonly wore.







HBC






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Created: 10:41 PM 3/27/2008
Last updated: 9:39 PM 11/16/2021