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We note many different cold weather garments. The nost obvious is various types of coats and jackets. These were done in different weights to accomodate both cold winter weather as well cool sprng and fall wearher. We also notice capes. There were also a range of other garments including headwear, scarves, mufflers, gloves and mittens, sweaters, and long stockings. Young children might wear leggings and snow suits. The popularity and style of these garments have varied over time. Some have remained virtully inchnged such as the stocking cap. Other garments have changed markedly over time. Some such as capes have largely dissappeared. And whole new product lines have appeared such as ski gear. There were obvious regional differences because of climate. And there were gender differences which have varied over time.
We note a variety of headwear worn during the winter. They include both styles specifically worn for cold weather as well as popular styles that were worn more for fashion than for keeping warm. A key indicator that a headwear was for winterwer was that it had ear flaps or like a stocking czp, could be pulled down o cover the ears. Some cold weather garments have remained virtully unchnged such as the ever popular stocking cap. I'm not entirely sure why the sticking cap has remained so popular over time, but it is sureky a unique combination of effectiveness, inexpensive cist, and practicality. Woodsmen or hunting caps, often done in plaid, wee popular mostly in northern states. Another popular winter styles wre the helmet caps with earflaps that could be worn up or down. Some flat caps also had ear flaps, but we are unsure how common they were.
The most popular knitted garment as in most countries is the sweater. American boys have worn many different styles of sweaters. There are many other knitted garments, mostly cold weather garments like socking caps, scarves, and mittens. We have also noted knitted snow suits, especilly in the northern state near Canada. Stockings were once popular knitted garments, but are now almost never knitted. Some of the fashionable French knit garments like short pants outfits were not nearly as popular as in America.
We do not yet have much information on American sweaters. We do not see boys wearing sweaters in the early and mid-19th century. We first see sweaters in the late-19th centuries. The first ones we note are pull-overs, often with heavy necks, both turtle necks and roll overs. We note cardigans in the early 20th century. The sweater was a major clothing garment for boys by the 1920s. Many boys wore them to school. They were avtually part of the increasing informality in dress. Boys wore sweaters instead of suit jackets. They were a useful garment in that the child could keep his sweater on indoors if it was not warm enough. For parents who wanted a little formality, a V-neck could be purchased which showed a tie. Other boys wire crew necks. Sweaters in bright patterns and colors became very popular. In addition to different neck styles, there were also sleeveless sweaters developed. They were also a popular item for home knitting. The letter-man's sweater was one of a teenagers most prized possessions. Sweaters were at first wool garments. Since World War II, synthetic fibers have been used to produce less-expesive alternatives.
Capes were commonly worn in the 19th century. We see both boys and girls wearing them. Caps were especially common with coats. They largely disappeared in the 20th century.
American boys have worn a wide variety of coats and jackets. Many like sailor styled reefer jackets appear to have been quite similar to European styles. Others such as the plaid lumber jacket appear to have been more American in origin. A popular style by thr 1920s were leather aviator jackets. Many short jackets, some with fur (or imination fur by the 1940s) collars based primarily on the basic styling of the popular aviator jackets. Duffle coats cut longer than jackets have also been popular, but I believe that thery were primarily an English style. In recent years a variety of heavily insulated, often brightly colored jackets and coats have appeared influed by ski styling. There have also been specialized coats, particularly the water proffed rain coat which appeared after the turn of the century.
Leggings were winter garments for children, obviously to keep their legs warm. We do not know very much leggings in America at this time. We do note some portraits of of younger children, both boys and girls, wearing leggings. They seem to be most common for pre-school children. The first ones we see are leather. We see some boys wearing them with Fauntleroy suits. The first leggings we see are for boys, but by the turn-of-the 20th century we see both boys and girls wearing them. In the early 20th century we note cloth leggings which gradually replaced leather. We note clothing leggings which matched coats. We see them into the 1940s, but they seem to have gone out of style in the 1950s. We're not sure why. This as far as we can tell was a garment worn by children from wealthy or at least affluent families. They became more midle class in the 1930s and 40s.
Long stockings appeared as a main stay for an American boy in the 1870s when the fashion of kneepants for boys became wide spread. Unlike European boys, few American bpys wore kneepants with short socks. American boys continued to wear long stockingsd through the 1910s and did not commonly shift to socks until the 1920s. Lock stockings comtinued to be worn into the 1940s, although they were by that time not commonly worn. Long stockings were commonly worn in the late 19th and early 20th century. They were worn by both boys and girls. At the time boys commonly wore knee pants and knickers and even short pants year round. Thus long stockings were useful for warmth. This was not the only reason for wearing long stockings, but it was an important one.
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