British school boys after the First World War began to commonly wear short pants, or short trousers as the British call them. Ithink that before the First World War that boys more commonly worn knickers or knickerbockers as the British call them. This fashion to many British colonies, especially Austrlia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It was also common in exclusive, British oriented, private schools in Canada and America. Short pants were commonly worn by European school boys, but not commonly as part of uniforms as in Britain.

Australia

Belgium

England

New Zealand

Scotland

South Africa

United States

Related Links: Careful this will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but both sites are highly recommended

Apertures Press International Project: Pictures at schools in different countries and a book on British schools
Apertures Pres New Zealand book: New book on New Zealand schools in progress
School Uniform Web Site: Informative review of British school uniforms with some excellent photographs
Boys' Preparatory Schools: Photographic essay available on British preparatory school during the 1980s

Figure 1..--Catholic school boys in Belgium and France wore school uniforms, often with blue short pants, but other Fench boys did not cimmonly wear uniforms.