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Boys have worn a variety of trousers or pants as part of school uniforms. We note breeches, long pants, knee pants, bloomer knickers, and knickers. For several centuries boys and men wore breeches. There was no difference in the breeches worn by boys and men. The first recognizable school uniforms appeared in English charity schools and were primarily designed to provide inexpensive clothing to the charity children and to identify them. Mostof these uniforms involved knee breeches, alyhough this was not different then the breeches worn by other boys. The long pants so common among school children today first appeared at the turn-of-the 19th century. Curiously, at the time it was boys who wore the long trousers and men who wore knee breeches. Long pants dominated at schools until after mid-century when various styles of shortened length pants became more popular for boys. Long pants did not become the primary pants for boys until after World War II (1939-45), although the pattern and chronology varied from country to country. Knickers appeared in England after the mid-19th century. They were soon adopted for schoolwear at many prestigious English private schools as well as state schools. Many English boys in the late 19th century and American boys in the early 20th century wore wore knickers to school. Knickers did not become popular in America until the 1910s, especially after World War I (1914-18). Kneepants appeared after the mid-19th century and were worn bu boys throught Europe and America. They were particularly popular in America and most boys wore them to school, although not part of a uniform. Kneepants were still widely worn in America at the turn of the century, but declined in popularity during the 1910s. Short pants are the most modern or recently developed style of male trousers. English boys in the 20th century have mostly worn long or short pants. They were popular throughout Europe. They did not prove as popular in America. The popularity of these various types of varied chrononlofically, but there are many factors besides fshion that have affected the different types, including seasonality, social class, and age conventions. There have also been differences from country to country.
There were also specialized forms of these various types of panrs. Most boys and their families have chosen the type of pants, but some schools had school uniforms and the school made the decission.
For several centuries boys and men wore breeches. There was no difference in the breeches worn by boys and men. The first recognizable school uniforms appeared in English charity schools and were primarily designed to provide inexpensive clothing to the charity children and to identify them. Mostof these uniforms involved knee breeches, alyhough this was not different then the breeches worn by other boys. The knee breeches worn by 17th century schoolboys are still worn by boys at some traditional English hospital schools, often referred to as bluecoat schools.
The long pants so common among school children today first appeared at the turn-of-the 19th century. Curiously, at the time it was boys who wore the long trousers and men who wore knee breeches. Long pants dominated at schools until after mid-century when various styles of shortened length pants became more popular for boys. Long pants did not become the primary pants for boys until after World War II (1939-45), although the pattern and chronology varied from country to country. Today most boys wear long pants to school both as part of a uniform or when the children are allowed to choose their own clothes. While long pants are dominate--there still are quite a number of countries where boys wear short pats to school.
Knickers appeared in England after the mid-19th century. They were soon adopted for schoolwear at many prestigious English private schools as well as state schools. Many English boys in the late 19th century and American boys in the early 20th century wore wore knickers to school. Knickers did not become popular in America until the 1910s, especially after World War I (1914-18). They were very widely worn by American sdchoolboys into the early 1940s. They were less common in England, but one school continued to have a knicker uniform into the 1990s. They were also worn by boys in Europe--usually the older boys. Knickers passed from the fashion seen after World War II. One school in London, however, still uses them as part of the school uniform.
Knee pants were worn to school by boys for almost a century. This was mostly as part of ordinary clothing and not required uniforms. They were especially common during the 1880s-1900s. The prevalence and time line varied from country to country. Knee pants first appeared in Europe during the mid-19th century. They were prevalent in both Europe and North America. At first they were worn by boys from comfortable families in fashionable big cities. Gradually they becane standard boys wear. The age conventions and prevalence varied over time and from country to country. They became particularly popular in America and most boys wore them to school by the end of the 19th century. They were usually not worn as part of a uniform. Some private schools in Britain did require them or more commonly knickrs as part of a uniform. Knee pants were still widely worn in America at the beginning of the 20th century. They were replace by knickers during the late-1900s and knickers then became standard for school wear in the 1910s. A similar development ocurred in Europe, but there knee pants were largely replaced by short pants with some older boys wearing knickers. Knee pants and short pants of course were very similar, especially because early short pants were quite long. Short pants did not, however have the decorative buttons at the knee hem. Knee pants rapidly disappeared in America durng the 1910s, but we still see some in the early-20s. They continued to be worn in Europe during the 1930s. Short pants were more common, but some suits were still done with knee pants during the 1930s.
Short pants are the most modern or recently developed style of male trousers. English boys in the 20th century have mostly worn long or short pants. Senior boys in English schools wore long grey or black trousers. Most elementary boys and some secondary schoolboys (at least in the first 2 years) wore short trousers. These were worn both in the summer and winter term, with no seasonal change. Apparently the English until the 1960s did not think it unusual to send boys off to school in short pants in the middle of the winter. Private schools in the 1970s began introducing summer and winter uniforms. A few private schools kept even older boys in shorts. Various materials were used. Flannel shorts were still worn, but were being repaced with other materials, especially rayon-nylon, and terylene worsted. Some schools adopted hard-wearing cotton corduory, usually in grey. A few schools used light-weight cotton shorts during the summer. They were popular throughout Europe. They did not prove as popular in America.
Rompers were not a common school garment, but we do notic some children wearing them. They were primarily worn by pre-school children. This was not very common, but we do note boys wearing them in nursery school and kindegrten. Here we only see boys, not girls wearing them. We are less sure about other countries. We very rarely see boys in the first year of primary school wearing them, but only rarely. We also note boys wearing them in school theatricals as a kind of costume. As regards school wear we note considerable country differences. This was primarily bin France, although we think they were also worn in Belgium. Rompers were mostly worn in France and thus we see boys most commonly wearing them in French schools. They were not worn by French girls. In some other countries they were adopted as a gym uniform. Bloomers meaning the bottom part of rompers were very common gym outfits for girls, often worn with middy blouses. Romper suits for gym seem much more limited. This was particularly common for girls in America. To a much less extent, boys in some countries wore bloomers for gym, but we have not noticed boys wearing romper suits for gym.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s/a>]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
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