Figure 1.--Knickers uniforms were common in England in the late 19th century. This London prep school is now the only school with a knickers uniform. Both boys and girls wear the knickers. Usually at English schools the boys and girls wear different unifoms. Note the school sandals and the two different styles of sweaters.

Knickers became popular in the late-19th century. We are not sure precisely when they appeared, but we note that by the 1880s, younger boys at some private schools were wearing knickers to school. As our archive of 19th century school photographs is limited, we do not have a good idea as to how common this was. They seem much less common at state schools. Boys at state primary schools, however may have more commonly worn kneepants than knickers. Some of the available images at late-19th century private schools show the boys wearing knickers. I am not sure what they were called at the time. I think the primary English term was knickerbockers. In the 1920s they were referred to as "plus fours" in England as knickers became a term used more for womens's underwear. Some schools still had knicker uniforms in the early-20th century, but after World War I (1914-18) they were quite rare. Most boys wore short pants or older boys wore long pants to school. Here fashions in America and England divered sharply. Knickers became a major school fashion in America at the same time that they generally disappeared in England. We do note one London preparatory school which maintains a knickers uniform. As far as we know this is the only school in England where the boys wear knickers. It was a seasonal garment. Boys there commonly wore shorts in the warm weather and knickers when the weather turned cool. When the school went coed the girls also wore the knickers unifom. As far as we know, this is the only English school where knickers are still worn.

Chronology

Knickers became popular for school wear in the late-19th century. White our early- and mid-19th century archive is limited, the appearace of the CDV begins to provide a substantil photographic record by the 1860s. We at first see mostly long trouswes. Many private schools at the time were being founded and adopting school uniforms. We are not sure precisely when knickers first appeared as either schoolwear or school uinforms. We note that by the 1880s, younger boys at some private schools were wearing knickers to school and they were being adopted as school uniform at mny punlic (private boarding) schools. As our archive of 19th century school photographs is limited, we do not have yet have a precise idea as to how common this was. At private boardung schools, the knickers senm more commin than knee pants. at state primary schiols, knee pants seem more common, but we notice considerable variation. They seem much less common at state schools. Some of the available images at late-19th century private schools show the boys wearing knickers. I am not sure what they were called in Bitain at the time. We intunue to see knicker uniforms in the early-20th century. This began to change in the 1910s and after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s knickers become quite rare as a school uniform item. Most boys wore short pants or the older boys wore long pants to school.

School Types

Knickers were worn as part of school uniforms in the late-19th century. Our 19th century archive is limited. As best we can tell knickers were mostly worn a private schools, both at prepschols and the younger boy at public (elite private boarding schools). This seems fairly common. We see both deawings illutrating school stories and in the photographic record. While knickers were worn at some private schools as part of a uniform, boys at state primary schools seem to have mostly worn straight-leg knee pants or long pants, depending on ages and the decade. We do not see many boys wearing knickers at state primary schools. Our archive is still limited so our 19th century assessment is not yet definitive. We hope to refine our assessment as our 19th century archive expands. We do not see knickers being commonly worn to school, except as part of the uniforms required at private schools. We are not yet sure about grammar schools, meaning secondary selective day schools. The grammer schools generally followed trends at the public schools, including uniform trends. . This had begun to change by the turn-of-the 20th century with knickers becoming less common. But we still see knickers in the early-20th century, especially before World War I, but only as part of private school unifors. We have a larger 20th century archive and it tends to confirm our basic assessment, that knickers were primarly worn at private school. We see some boys with knickers suits other than school uniforms in the inter-War era, but primarily teenagers, not younger boys who mostly wore short pants suits.

Terminology

I think the primary English term was knickerbockers. In the 1920s they were referred to as 'plus fours', at least the baggy ones. We have seen the term knickers being used for short pants during the early-20th century. Gradually in England, knickers became a term pimarily used for womens's underwear.

America

Curiously fashions in America and England divered sharply as concerns boys trousers. There were many similarities between boys clothing in America and Britain during the 19th century. This difference was thus a depsarture. Knickers became a major school fashion in America at the same time that they generally disappeared in England. Corduroy knickers were sandard school wear in America during the 1920s-30s.

London School

We do note one London preparatory school which maintains a knickers uniform. The school became quite famous when the royal princes were enrolled there, primarily because of the German bsackground of Prince Phillip. The ethos of the school was a little different than other prep schools. There were no fan\cvy blazers and ties. The uniform was designed for practicality. As far as we know this is the only school in England where the boys wear knickers. It was aseasonal garment. Boys there commonly wore shorts in the warm weather and knickers when the weather turned cool. When the school went coed the girls also wore the knickers unifom. we also see a school in Est As far as we know, this is the only English school where knickers are still worn.

Created: September 30, 2003
Last updated: 8:13 PM 2/7/2015