Figure 2.--This magazine advertisement for Kolekcja Dzieci tights shows them being worn by both boys and girls as well as mothers. I'm not sure when the ad appeared, but it looks like the 1990s. |
Polish boys like German boys wore long stockings well after they went out of style in many other European countries. Polish readers inform HBC that tights were also common, although we do not know when they first appeared. As in East Germany, they appear to have replaced long stockings. Polish boys in the 1980s commonly wore tights. Tights continued to be widely worn by boys in the 1990s although perhaps not quite as commonly in the 1980s. Boys during the 1990s wore them until about 9-10 years of age, but a few boys even at 11 also wore them. The most common was to wear up to about age 10. A Polish reader who was a boy in the 1990s writes, "Well tights were very common in 1980s (it were really common) and so they were in 90s. I wore them, like almost everybody (except 3-4 kids I knew). I wore them commonly until I was 9 years old, after that I only wore them occassionally. But some of my mates used to wore them up to even the age of 11! But most of kids used to wore them up to the age of 10.") That was the standard, because at age 10 kids finish there first primary education. Polish readers tell us that boys still commonly wear tights in Poland.
Polish boys like German boys wore long stockings well after they went out of style in many other European countries. Polish readers inform HBC that tights were also common.
We are not sure when tights first appeared in Poland, but believe it was about 1970. We do know that tights quickly replaced long stockings in the 1970s and that they were worn by both boys and girls. They were widely worn in the 1980s, although we do not know when they first appeared. As in East Germany, they appear to have very quickly replaced long stockings. A Polish source reports that tights were very common in 1970s, 80s and also the 90s. Polish readers tell us that younger boys still wear tights in Poland, but that older boys don't like to wear them as they are seen as girlish.
Polish boys in the 1980s commonly wore tights. Tights continued to be widely worn by boys in the 1990s although perhaps not quite as commonly in the 1980s. The prevalence depens on the age of the boys. Polish readers tell us that boys still commonly wear tights in Poland. A polish reader reports, "Tights are still widely worn here in Poland, but are less popular than it was in the past. Tights are still commonly worn by boys till age 10. When I see catalogues from supermarkets (especially in September and October time), you can find children's tights almost everytime as a one of the products advertized. Only rarely are they described as 'girls' tights'. Usually they are described as 'children's tights'. Also there are advertisements with boys wearing tights."
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A Polish reader reports that tights are popular, primarily because mothers insist that children, bith boys and girls wear them to keep warm. As a result, kids get used to them. One reader indicates, "I think that the main reason of their popularity was that there was comunism in Poland until 1989. As a result, people were very poor, and they couldn't afford many things. After we had became a democratic counry, our situation became much better. People are now more prosperous than during the Comunist era. The second reason, why tights were popular I think it was that Germany is our neighbor, and fashion trends from there influence us here in Poland. The other reasons are that tights are
warm, comfortable, nice (look at these all colors), and kids do like beautiful colors, don't they? Some younger boys at home still wear only tights, whithout pants on them during winter months."
Tights are primarily worn during winters and if it's cold in autumn and spring. Winters are cold in Poland. Temperatures can get down to -5° C. We are not sure to what extent tights were worn with dressy or formal wear in Poland as was sometimes the case in Russia. A Polish reader reports that tights were worn as formal dress-up clothing, but as he is a younger reader, he can't provide any information on this. By the 1990s, however, tights were almost exclusively worn as cold weather clothing.
Tights appaered to have been very widely worn in the 1970s. Boys commonly wore them to about age 13. Even some teenagers wore them. One source reports wearing tights untill he was 18! And also I've heard that other man would wear them till he was 16. It was mostly younger boys by the 1990s who wore tights. Boys during the 1990s wore them until about 9-10 years of age, but a few boys even at 11 also wore them. The most common was to wear up to about 10. A Polish reader who was a boy in the 1990s writes, "Well tights were very common in 1980s (it were really common) and so they were in 90s. I wore them, like almost everybody (except 3-4 kids I knew). I wore them commonly until I was 9 years old, after that I only wore them occassionally. But some of my mates used to wore them up to even the age of 11! But most of kids used to wore them up to the age of 10.") That was the standard, because at age 10 kids finish there first primary education.
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There does not appear to have been any rule for color. Old photos suggest that that tights and/or stockings were mainly beige in the 1960s-70s. A Polish reader thinks
that was because that kind of tights were the cheapest, but he is not sure. By the 1990s, many different colors from white to black were worm. A Polish reader in the 1990s reports that black tights were not oftenseen. Adverisements show many bright colors like blue, green, red, and yellow.
Polish boys have worn tights and long stockings with short pants. This appears to have been coomon until the 1970s, but HNC has few details at this time. One HBC reader reports seeing a polish movie from maybe 1995, where a 4-5 year old boy worn blue, red and so on tights under his short trousers. HBC has noted a black and white film with a boy wearing tights (possibly long stockings) with short pants. Polish boys by the 1990s mostly wear long pants iover their tights. This is because boys do not wear short pants as commonly as they once did, especially during the winter and cooler months when tights are mostly worn. Even in the 1990s, however one occasionally see Polish boys wearing tights with short pants. HBC reader reports seeing a 10 year-old boy, who worn gray tights under his short gymnastic pants for a gum class, although the
gimnastic lessons in winter are inside, not outside. A reader also reports seeing an 11 year-old boy, who worn white tights and red costumes as [?they sceen] costumes.
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HBC has noted magazine advertisements of boys and girls wearing tights at home without pants. This looks like a casual style just as American children might wear pajamas before going to bed or early in the morning. We are unsure just how common this was. Perhaps these scenes were just used by the companies involved as advertising to give prospective custimers a better view of the tights. After all a boy wearing long trousers over tights would hardly make an effective illustration of the tights. We do know this was common in Polish Kindergatens. And the believe it was fairly common at home as well.
Some Polish readers tells us that they wore tights as children.
A Polish reader writes, "In the late-1980s I attended to kindergarten and commonly wore tights. e often wore just tights, meaning without pants. I did so. By the 1990s the 90s popularity of tights was decreasing among boys and their parents. But many boys still wore tights. I wore tights in the 1990s until I was about 10 years old."
A Polish reader reports, "I stopped wearing tights when I was 9 years old. I didn't like them, but I'm not exactly sure why. Almost everyone from my class wore tights in different colors even. I was one of the first boys, who stopped wearing tights in our class. Perhaps it was that I found them too girlish. I'm just not sure. I know I got used to it as a younger boy. My mum didn't have to tell me to wear them. Probably if I had kown that they were common for boys in other countries, I woulnd't have stopped wearing them. At age 9 they weren't embarressing after all. Who would laught at 10 or 11 boy wearing tights, as so many did. Any way as we all wore long pants, you couldn't really tell anyway. I think that the popularity of tights grew because of that they were comfortable."
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