World War II Impact on Boy's Clothing: Short Pants


Figure 1.--.

Short pants in the early 20th century were adopted as a practical garment for boys. They were not seen as seasonal garments, but rather a style for boys--no matter what the weather. Boys increasingly wanted to wear long pants. American boys in the 1940s that continued to werar short pants began wearing them during the summer as warm weather casual clothes rather than all year round. This was not the case in Britain, although some German boys did wear shorts in the summer and longs in the winter. Again while this trend in America became more widespread during the War, HBC is not yet sure that it was caused or incouraged by the War.

American War Propaganda

One HBC contribtor suggests that American War propaganda idealizing the Americam soldier and attributes like masuclimity, braverym courage may have affected boys' attitudes. They may have been moved tomlook more like their heros. A similar phenonemon in England during the aerly 20th century is why short pants first became popular for boys' wear. The short trousers of the Boy Scouts were, after all, adopted because that was how the British military uniforms were like (and so the British navy, still is in part). But in World War II America, long pants were it. Boys didn't want to be boys anymore, and a shift in the American identity allowing boys to be "little men" ready for war. NAZIs were were everywhere during the War and Commies after the War. America emerged from World War II as the world's savior--a newly minted super-power. At this time more than any other, the American Identity was fully born, sharply curtailing British influences (except for the wealthy, who still looked overseas for fashion sense, but even this began to wane). After World War II, crew (buzz) cuts became vogue, jeans and t-shirts were THE fashion, and even boys would roll faux packs of cigarettes up the sleeves. Jeans had become more popular because of their durability and easy maintenance and low production cost.

Varying Impact

HBC is not sure why the War appears to have had a varying impact in America and Europe. The American War certainly was a costly effort.

Varying economic situation

American War production was phenomenal. Civilian products were scarce and had to be rashioned. There were shortages, but goods were available. And for the first time since the Depression, eveyone had jobs and wages were rising. Rationing in America was nothing compared to the deparavity forced upon civilian populations in Europe. The European economies were devestated. Factories were destroyed unemploument was rife. Because of the ravages of war, materials were highly scarce. Many families simply could not afford clothes. If at all possible, choldren wore their clothes as long as possible. Thus teenagers may have been keept in short trousers longer than might have been the case before the War. The affluence thatvAmerican experienced after War that made possible extensive expenditures on clothes and other consumer goods was not the case in Europe. Rationing persisted in Britain, for example, for years after the War.

Tradition

America and Europe had different aditudes toward tradition. Europe and Britain placed a much greater value in tradition. Many European towns date back centuries, soe even mileania. Important American cities date back only decades. While the Europeans stress tradition. Americans stress change. We like to change our car styles, for example each year, and eagerly await the new models. The Europeans are nmuch more suspious of change. The current trans-Atlantic debate over bio-engineering is a caser in point. These differeing attitudes may have affected the differing pace of change in boys fashions







Christopher Wagner









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Created: June 30, 2000
Last updated: June 30, 2000