short pants origins culotte courte








Trousers: Fashion Changes


Figure 1.--The question arises as to why short pants emerged as a popular boys fashion in the 20th century and why some boys came to like them. Here we have a better idea than we do for the shift to kneepants in the mid-19th century.

While we have a good deal of information on when and where the various types of short pants (knnepants, knickers, and short pants) first appeared, we have less information as to why they appeared. It is usually relatively easy to identify fashion changes. Explaining why the changes occurred is much more difficult, oftem imposible with any degree of surity. We note several changes over time, but can not at this time fully explain them. Boys for many years in the late 18th and early 19th century wore longpants skeleton suits while men wore knee breaches. It is unclear why this convention changes, who was responsible and why. It may well be that the skeleton suit and tunic firmly established the convebntioin that boys should be dressed differently than men. Before the 1780s boys were dressed like their fathers, only in scaled down versions. THis changed with the skeleton suit. Thus as men adopted long trousers, mothers in the 1830s began dressing their sons in shortened trousers, at first bloomer knickers were the most common. You begin seeing these outfits in the 1840s, but they are more common in the 1850s. This was most common among affluent families, leading us to suspect that fashion dictates were very important. It may well be that at this stage the convention of shortened pants for boys was primarily one of differentiating boys stylistically from their fathers. We are not sure why this was so important or why it developed at this time. European and American boys began wearing kneepants in the 1860s and by the 1870s they were the conventional fashion for boys. This included boys of all social backgrounds. At this stage practical concerns almost certainly were of importance. Short pants first appeared in England and Germany about the turn of the century. Soon they appeared in Europe and to a lesser extent America. At first shorts were mostly worn by little boys and were only slightly shorter than knee pants. One of the principal differences is that they were worn with kneesocks rather than long stockings.

Skeleton Suits and Long Pants

Boys for many years in the late 18th and early 19th century wore longpants skeleton suits while men wore knee breaches. It is unclear why this convention changes, who was responsible and why. It may well be that the skeleton suit and tunic firmly established the convention that boys should be dressed differently than men. Before the 1780s boys were dressed like their fathers, only in scaled down versions. This changed with the skeleton suit. The reason for it seems to be based on the developing concept of childhood. Children came to be seen as a destinctive developmental stage and not just small adults. Thus destinctive clothing specifically designed to meet the needs of children was conceived.

Bloomer Knicker Suits

Thus as men began to adopt long trousers, in the 1830s mothers eventually began dressing their sons in shortened trousers, at firstbloomer knickers were the most common. You begin seeing these outfits in the 1840s, but theuy are more common in the 1850s. This was most common among affluent families, leading us to suspect that fashion dictates were very important. It may well be that at this stage the convention of shortened pants for boys was primarily one of differentiating boys stylistically from their fathers. We are not sure why this was so important or why it developed at this time. A HBC reader has commented on the American cultural trend. Similar trends were occuring in Europe. In fact at this time, the European fashions generally determined how fashionable Americans dressed.

Kneepants

European and American boys began wearing kneepants in the 1860s and by the 1870s they were the conventional fashion for boys. This included boys of all social backgrounds. At this stage practical concerns almost certainly were of importancre. A HBC reader writes, "I think children's play and the wear and tear of clothes must have been an important factor. Long trousers soon frey at the knees and there is nothing more uncomfortable that being dressed in patched clothes. Hense shortened-length troucers. One only got knees (or long stockings) dirty and these were easy to wash. Also large families would require alot of mending of clothes. I am amazed at the iron pile of folk with a couple of kids. So it must have been a mountain with five or more!" HBC agrees that this must have been a factor, especially considering the druggery and labor involved in laundering clothes before the invention of modern laundry detergents and household appliances.

Short Pants

Short pants first appeared in England and Germany about the turn of the century. Soon they appeared in Europe and to a lesser extent America. At first shorts were mostly worn by little boys and were only slightly shorter than knee pants. One of the principal differences is that they were worn with kneesocks rather than long stockings. The first shorts even continued to have the buttons at the side that knee pants had. Even for knee pants these buttons were purely ornamental, a inheitance of the buttons used to close 18th Century knee breeches. The style was given great empetus, especially as a style suitable for older boys when developing British Boy Scout movement adopted them as standard wear. Earlier they had been adopted by the important Wandervogel movement in Germany. American Scouts, however, chose to mostly wear knickers. The question renmains, however, as to why short pants emerged as a popular boys fashion in the 20th century and why some boys came to like them. Here we have a better idea than we do for the shift to kneepants in the mid-19th century.






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Created: 1:47 PM 11/18/2005
Last updated: 1:47 PM 11/18/2005