Figure 1.--Many prep schools insisted on short trouser uniforms. This began to change in the 1970s and by the 1980s most prep schools had long trouser uniforms, especially for thed older boys.
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Figure 1.--Many prep schools insisted on short trouser uniforms. This began to change in the 1970s and by the 1980s most prep schools had long trouser uniforms, especially for thed older boys. |
English boys have worn a variety of different trousers to school. These trouser styles have changed significantly over time. Boys in the early 19th century wore long trousers. Many boys wore knickers in the late 19th century. We note kneepants less commonly. Short trousers began to appear after the turn of the 20th century. They were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Senior boys wore long grey or black trousers. Most elementary boys and some secondary schoolboys (at least in the first two years) wore short grey trousers. Short trousers for school wear were very common inter the inter-war era and continued into the 1950s. Gradually in the 1960s more boys began wearing long trousers, although some primary schools and most preparatoty schools required short trousers into the 1970s. Long trousers became increasingly common in the 1980s. One English reader reports in 2002, "Nowadays hardly any boys wear grey shorts for school in the U.K., even during the summer. Even the little ones 5-6 years old wear long trousers."
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