*** short pants : linings








Short Pants: Linings

linings
Figure 1.-These short pants were made in France during 1948-49. The botom hem is hand made in way to be invisible, but the rest is manufactured with a sewing machine.

Almost all of the better made shorts have traditionally been lined. The lined shirts seem especially common with shorts for younger boys. This included shorts made in corduroy, flannel, Terelyn, and other materials. HBC is not precisely sure why short pants were commonly lined. One English contributor reports that shorts were lined because many boys in the 19th century, especially poor boys did not commonly wear underpants. HBC is not positive that is the primary reason. Many shorts were sold to boys going to exclusive private schools. Their parents may have simply expected good quality trousers, short or long to be lined, much the lining in a suit jacket. Once the tradition was set, then manufacturers continued lining the shorts into our modern era. There are other reasons why trousers were lined. Lining avoids scratching from poor quality flannel or wool fabric from which some shorts were made. Some manufacturers tried to use inexpensive cloth to appeal to parents who wanted inexpensive clothes. Flannel in particular could be uncomfortable. The lining also gave the fabric of the shorts added firmness. The linings also gave added sophistication to the clothes. Shorts that are lined looked better as they are not as baggy as unlined shorts, appealing to the fashion conscious mother. The drawback of lining shorts, of course, is the added price. A French reader writes, "HBC is right about linings! Quality short pants were lined. This was the case for shorts made of flannel , wool, Tergal, and others materials. Poor families couldn't afford to buy expensive lined shorts. Clothing plants making quality lined shorts during the 1940-70s were called " culotti�re " even when concerning long trousers. We note that not only were good quality short pants lined, but school shorts were also lined.

Quality

Almost all of the better made shorts have traditionally been lined. Coming from a lowe-middle classc family, I grew up in thec1940s-50s not even knowing thatv there ws such a thing as lined shorts.

Ages

The lined shirts seem especially common with shorts for younger boys.

Material

This included shorts made in corduroy, flannel, Terelyn, and other materials. HBC is not precisely sure why short pants were commonly lined.

Purpose

One English contributor reports that shorts were lined because many boys in the 19th century, especially poor boys did not commonly wear underpants. HBC is not positive that is the primary reason. Many shorts were sold to boys going to exclusive private schools. Their parents may have simply expected good quality trousers, short or long to be lined, much the lining in a suit jacket. Once the tradition was set, then manufacturers continued lining the shorts into our modern era. There are other reasons why trousers were lined. Lining avoids scratching from poor quality flannel or wool fabric from which some shorts were made. Some manufacturers tried to use inexpensive cloth to appeal to parents who wanted inexpensive clothes. Flannel in particular could be uncomfortable. The lining also gave the fabric of the shorts added firmness. The linings also gave added sophistication to the clothes. Shorts that are lined looked better as they are not as baggy as unlined shorts, appealing to the fashion conscious mother.

Drawbacks

The drawback of lining shorts, of course, is the added price.

Reader Comments

A French reader writes, "HBC is right about linings! Quality short pants were lined. This was the case for shorts made of flannel , wool, Tergal, and others materials. Poor families couldn't afford to buy expensive lined shorts. Clothing plants making quality lined shorts during the 1940-70s were called " culotti�re " even when concerning long trousers. We note that not only were good quality short pants lined, but school shorts were also lined." Another French reader writes, "I want to add to the discussion about limings. This habit of not wearing underwear with lined shorts was not lost in the 1960s and 70s. And I don't think this was a matter of money. Here I must say from experience short pants with lining are really comfortable without briefs. One must be aware that many schools in England prohibited underwear under sport shorts during sport time. This was an open door not to wear underwear all day long on sports days under school uniform shorts which were lined and comfortable , before and after the sport session. I was made aware of this the first time I was sent by my parents to England, in Kent, on my own, was in 1969. I was then 15. This was a trend in these years to send French boys and girls to England in summer to learn English. In the family where I was, there were two boys, of 13, and 17. I didn't think about them possibly not wearing underwear under their short pants at the beginning of my stay,. Nothing was actually visible on this matter as their short pants legs were rather long. After a few days, the mother asked me whether I had laundry to be washed. I gave her a couple of shirts one pair short lined pants (mine were shorter than the boys ones), the jeans I was wearing for the travel and a pair of socks . She asked me about underwear, may be thinking I might be shy about it. I answered I didn’t wear any during the summer. Already when primary school, after the end of the school year, I was used not to wear any during summer vacations with parents inducement who considered this was better on hot days But briefs were comming back with the school in september without further questionning. The English mother then told me her boys didn’t wear underwear either at this time of the year. She explained me that at school, they had to be bare under shorts for sports, a thing which actually surprised me, as in France everybody had and still has briefs under shorts for sports classes. Though used not to always have underwear when staying home, I had never been to school without briefs. Not to bother with underwear, they both soon had gone to school without under their school short pants on sports days, after they had been told not to wear underwear for sport sessions. Skipping underwear was just a possible alternate way of dressing for her sons."







HBC






Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main short pants page]
[About Us]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Cloth and textiles] [Countries] [Garments] [Girls] [Photography] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Search] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]




Created: October 1, 2003
Last updated: 3:16 AM 2/8/2024