Figure 1.--America's climate is much more severe than much of Western Europe, despite the northern lattitudes. Many American mothers did not think short pants were appropriate boys wear in cold winter weather. This advertisement for the well-known Hickory hose supporters appeared in Parents Magazine, March 1932, p. 58. Thus those American boys that did wear short pants in the Winter often wore them with long stockings to cober their knees.

America's climate is much more severe than much of Western Europe, despite the norther lattitudes. Many American mothers did not think short pants were appropriate boys wear in cold winter weather. This advertisement for the well-known Hickory hose supporters appeared in Parents Magazine, March 1932, p. 58 (figure 1). It appealed to mothers to keep their children in long stockings during the chilly March weather rather than letting them go outdoors with bare knees. The boy and girl in the illustration are being pelted with chilly rain, apparently with unprotected knees. The mothers are being advised to protect their boys and girls from the dangers of "rheumatism, arthritis, lung, bone or kidney troubles" by keeping them during the early spring months in long stockings to "prevent unnecessary colds and more serious troubles". The advertisement even appeals to the endorsement of physicians: "Ask your doctor, too."American mothers appear to have become convinced that it was unheatlhful to expose children's knees to cold weather.

Climate

America's climate is much more severe than much of Western Europe, despite the northern lattitudes. A HBC reader has questioned this asertion. See the paragrapg on climatology below.lattitudes.

Health Concerns

Many American mothers did not think short pants were appropriate boys wear in cold winter weather. This advertisement for the well-known Hickory hose supporters appeared in Parents Magazine, March 1932, p. 58 (figure 1). It appealed to mothers to keep their children in long stockings during the chilly March weather rather than letting them go outdoors with bare knees. The boy and girl in the illustration are being pelted with chilly rain, apparently with unprotected knees. The mothers are being advised to protect their boys and girls from the dangers of "rheumatism, arthritis, lung, bone or kidney troubles" by keeping them during the early spring months in long stockings to "prevent unnecessary colds and more serious troubles". The advertisement even appeals to the endorsement of physicians: "Ask your doctor, too."American mothers appear to have become convinced that it was unheatlhful to expose children's knees to cold weather.

Popularity

Short pants were not as popular in America as in Europe and this was especially true in the winter and in northern states in general. Europen styles were influential with affluent Americans, but for most American families, mothers were convinced that they hdd to protect their childrn's knees.

Gender Differences

Gender differences developed concening children's knees. While girls commonly wore long stockings during the winter in the 1920s, by the 1930s girls were more commonly wearing kneesocks during the Winter. Boys for the most part, however, had their knees well covered with knickers and long pants. An american reader writes, "HBC's s comment that girls went bare kneed during the winter, but much less so did boys in the United States is a good point. Women and girls didn't wear slacks for work or school, at least not commonly, until about the early 1970s, if I remember correctly. The difference, then appears to be a gender stereotype."

Bare Knees

A reader writes, "Haven't you somewhat misinterpreted the ad for Hickory garters in your note in the blue section under the illustration? You suggest that some mothers disapproved of their sons wearing short pants in the colder seasons. But the point of the ad, surely, is that since children would probably be wearing short pants and skirts in any case, they should not wear them with bare knees--i.e., they should wear their short pants and skirts with long stockings to protect their knees. And for this purpose, the garters are essential. If boys wore knickers with knee socks or long trousers, the garters being advertised would be irrelevant. The ad assumes, I think, that boys would be wearing shorts (notice the boy illustrated in the ad). What is being counselled is that mothers should insist on long stockings and the proper garters to hold the stockings securely and neatly in place." Yes this needs clarification. Some American boys in the 1930s did wear short pants during the Winter, but these were primarily younger boys and they were an increasing minority. Much more common were knickers and as the decade progressed long pants. What I find interesting is the American concern over bare knees during the winter and how this concern became primarily focused on boys. By the end of the decade, American girls commonly were going to school with bare knees even during the Winter. Another reader writes, "I think the reader's interpretation of the Hickory Hose Supporters ad is correct. The ad for the garters assumes that many boys would be wearing short trousers in chilly and inclement weather and therefore shouldn't have their knees exposed. In these circumstances their mothers should insist on long stockings which would of course necessitate wearing Hickory supporters to keep them properly and neatly in place. The same principle would apply to girls too. They would be wearing dresses, not slacks, and should also wear long stockings rather than knee socks for the same reasons."

Convertible Suits

A HBC reader writes, "HBC may already have a page for this, but were boys' short trousers suits in the US ever convertible, so to speak, to long trousers? Something like matching trouser leggings that could be snapped on to the trousers for cold weather wear?" We have noted nboys suits in the 1930s which came with two pairs of pants, sometimes knickers and long pants. We have never noted suits coming with short pants and a second pair of either knickers or longs. This is not to say it never occurred, but we have not noted it. We think that this is because that until the 1940s/50s, short pants were not thought of as seasonal wear, but rather age-appropriate wear. Areader writes, "It seems that I saw an ad with an artist's depiction of such a suit from about the late-1930's once upon a time, but I do not have a copy. It may have been a short-lived accessory and not widely available. Most advertisements and films in the United States back then, as you wrote, indicate that shorts are for younger boys."

Climatology

A California reader complains, "Your comment that "America's climate is much more severe than much of Western Europe" is nonsense. America covers a large part of a continent, with climates that correspond to most of the climates of Eurasia. Major chunks of the USA have climates that are much more similar to the climates of Western Europe than to those of the Eastern US. Try not to be so provincial." Well HBC covers a wide range of issues, so now we apparently have to deal with climatology. Our reader is correct that the United states is a large country, but of course so is Western Europe. We were thinking here primarily of the northern tier of the United States and the mid-West. Clearly the southern tier has much milder weather. A important oceanographic feature is the Gulf Stream. This brings hughe volues of warm water in to the northeast Atlantic, significantly influencing the climate of Western Europe. Having spent considerable time in Britain, including upnorth in Scotland, I know for a fact that the British climate is much milder than the the northern tier of he United states or even the Midwest. While id does not get as hot in Britain as it does in America, it also does not get as cold. Here the Gulf Stream is the prmary reason. This is also evident from historical records. The Jamestown Settlement (1607) almost failed because of the settlers inability to deal with the bitter cold winter. The southern tier of Europe is well known for its mild climate. This includes quite a bit of Western Europe (Portugal east to the Balkans). Now I am less sure about Germany, but would be surproised if the German winters were more severe than the nofrthern tier of the United States or even the Midwest. Perhaps readers with a greater understanding of climatology will have some insights to offer here. One reader writes, "With regard to climate, as a geographer, I have studied regional differences. In the broadest sense, the United States has a "continental" climate with cold winters and hot summers. As noted in your write up, Western Europe has a "marine" climate resulting from the Gulf Stream, generally much cooler in summer and warmer in winter than the United States. Florida is "sub tropical", while the West Coast has a "Mediterranean" climate (dry summers and wet winters). Russia has more of a "continental": climate, but more severe because of the northern latitude--probably more like Canada." Another reader writes, "I think what you've written in HBC's climate and clothing pages is essentially correct. The northern tier of states [HBC would add the MidWest as well] on average experience colder and longer winters than most of western Europe. Parts of western Europe certainly have their share of very cold days, but on average I believe the northern USA to have a lower average winter temperature. And the other HBC reader points out that southern California and the deep South, especially Florida, enjoy warmer weather than the rest of the US. The summers are longer in the South. Spring and Fall in the South have many warm, even hot days. HBC carefully points out that in these parts of the US, boys have worn shorts for casual wear. HBC acknowledges that it is making generalizations about the American and western European climates, and these generalizations are fair." Our California reader responds, "I've heard that the North American climate most similar to Britain's is found on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. So if you want climates comparable to Western Europe in the USA you'd find them from Washington to California. Only 15 percent of Americans live here, so I suppose you could dismiss us as not living where the "real" Americans live. But if you throw in other states with warmer climates, from Hawaii to South Carolina, you get to over 40% of the American population. We are as real as any rust-belters, and shouldn't be dismissed so casually." He is correct that the American climate west of the Rockies is much more mild than east of the Rockies. As to population, the initial discussion began when we were speaking of the 1950s. Since then there has been avery substantial shift of population into the Sunbelt, especially California, Florida, and Texas. I continuue to decline that the Norther Tier of the U.S., the Mid West, the North east and even the upper South have winters that are more severe than Western Europe. That is a very substantial part of the coubntry and in the 50s, the bulk of the population."

Created: December 6, 2003
Last updated: 3:43 PM 4/9/2007