Swiss boys clearly wore both long stockings during the cold winter months in the 1930s. Long stockings were generally not very popular with boys, but many mothers insisted. This was common in several European countries. A HBC Swiss contributor reports that they also wore tights during the winter in the 1930s. He does not, however provide any documentary evidence. A German contributor reports that tights at the time were not even manufactured. I think the contradition here may be a matter of terminology. Swiss and German boys did wear a kind of footless tights at the time, usually knitted at home. Modern tights for children first appeared in the 1950s. Before that time, I assumed that boys wore long stockings rather than tights. Before the War, younger boys often wore long stockings during the colder months. Tights continued to be commonly worn by Swiss boys. A Swiss reader tells us, "Commercially they were not available until the 1950s. But then became widely available and I recall, at the boarding-school, the majority of boys wore them. A factor here was that our school was not very well heated." German readers report that tights did not appear until the late 1950s. Swiss readrs report them being available earlier than this. I wonder if it was Swiss companies that first began mass producing children's tights. We do not yet have any details on this. A Swiss contributor has provided some basic information about tights in Switzerland during the 1960s and 90s. But some other European readers would like confirmation of the Swiss contributor's information. Swiss boys through the 1960s still commonly wore short pants. An exception was often made during the winter when it was very cold, but some boys even wore shorts in the cold weather. Boys in the in Spring, Summer and Autumn wore short socks, but in the Winter or in quite cold weather, many younger boys wore tights. During the weekdays for play and school, boys might wear different colored tights. For Sunday, however, many boys would often wear white tights from "Helanca"! Swiss schools did not require uniforms, Younger boys and girls often came to school in shorts with tights during the colder weather. In really cold weather the boys night wear long pants and tights. Swiss boys still wear tights. Short pants are not as commonly worn with tights as theyonce were, but boys do still wear them. During the colder wintermonths boys donwear them with long pants. Tights are not marketed separately for boys, but rather sold as "children's tights" for boys and girls. They are sold as "Kinderstrumpfhosen".

The 1930s

Swiss boys commonly wore long stockings during the cold winter months in the 1930s. Long stockings were generally not very popular with boys, but many mothers insisted. This was common in several European countries. A HBC Swiss contributor reports that they also wore tights during the winter in the 1930s. A German contributor reports that tights at the time were not even manufactured. I think the contradition here may be a matter of terminology. Swiss and German boys did wear a kind of footless tights at the time, usually knitted at home called Gamaschen or Gamaschenhosen. This could be the tights that our Swiss reders are referring to. A better translation may be leggings.

The 1940s

A Swiss contributor, however, reports that tights in Switzerland were by the 1940s already widely worn by both boys and girls. Again this appears to be references to footless leggings--Gamaschen / Gamaschenhosen. Our Swiss contributor reports that tights mostly replaced long stockings for winter wear during World War II. He explains that clothes during the War were very hard to obtain. Thus children had to rely more heavily on clothes knitted by their mothers or other family members. This was a factor in tights replacing long stockings, although I do not quite unnderstand this. He reports, "About Switzerland, I am not sure. To be honest, I canīt believe tights were widely worn by Swiss boys during the 1940s. The first tights I have found producedcby the clothing industry were made in 1948/49, but only produced for one year? The only thing I can believe is tights during 40s were handknitted--because there were no machines and material at that time to mass produce them. But maybe I am wrong?" Another Swiss reader tells us, "Baby-tights were not made commercially. They where knit by mothers and grand-mothers. Some of these family-members also knit tights for bigger children. For that reason they were mostly woolen tights."

The 1950s

Tights continued to be commonly worn by Swiss boys. A Swiss reader tells us, "Commercially they were not available until the 1950s. But then became widely available and I recall, at the boarding-school, the majority of boys wore them. A factor here was that our school was not very well heated." German readers report that tights did not appear until the late 1950s. Swiss readrs report them being available earlier than this. I wonder if it was Swiss companies that first began mass producing children's tights. We do not yet have any details on this.

Figure 2.--This Swiss boy is pictured in a shortpants suit worn with tights at a wedding. The photograph was taken in 1965.

The 1960s

Swiss boys through the 1960s still commonly wore short pants. An exception was often made during the winter when it was very cold, but some boys even wore shorts in the cold weather. Boys in the in Spring, Summer and Autumn wore short socks, but in the Winter or in quite cold weather, many younger boys wore tights. During the weekdays for play and school, boys might wear different colored tights. For Sunday, however, many boys would often wear white tights from "Helanca"! Swiss schools did not require uniforms, Younger boys and girls often came to school in shorts with tights during the colder weather. In really cold weather the boys night wear long pants and tights. Younger boys might also wear tights when they dressed up for special occasions. A popular outfit for a weddng was a white suit worn with white tights. The shorts were of different length, both shorter and knee length styles. Many mothers thoughts these suits were suitable for festive occasion. Also small boys in tights did not have to worry about their socks falling down. Catholic boys would often take their First Communion in short pants suits, often with tights as Easter can still be quiter chilly in Switzerland. The girls wore formal white dresses. The boys more commonly wore dark suits, usually with dark tights. A Canadian reader reports, "In 1968, I made my first trip in Europe. Because we had problem with the famous "Mai 68" we left Paris for Firenze and traveled theough Swizzerland. At night we stayed in Bern and the day after we traveled the Interlaken. I remember that we halted along the Uri Lake and a father went out with his young boy, around 7-8 years old. He wore lederhosen with tan tights. My brother in law who lived there said to me: 'Boys are dressed like this in Swizzerland.' I guess I remember because it surprised me as Canadian boys never wore tights. I did not notice this in French-speaking areas of the country." Another reader tells us, "I traveled to Switzerland in May 1968. I observed many boys wearing tights boys in tights in the region of Interlaken, Bern and Luzern."

The 1970s

The 1980s

The 1990s

Swiss boys still wear tights. Short pants are not as commonly worn with tights as theyonce were, but boys do still wear them. During the colder wintermonths boys donwear them with long pants. Tights are not marketed separately for boys, but rather sold as "children's tights" for boys and girls. They are sold as "Kinderstrumpfhosen".

The 2000s

A Swiss reader tells us, "Tights in Switzerland are still marketed for the entire family. Boys still wear tights as well as some fathers."

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Created: 12:13 AM 7/12/2007
Last updated: 12:13 AM 7/12/2007