Figure 1.--This portrait is undated, but we believe was taken in the 1920s. Notice the plus-fours. All we know for sure is that these are American boys. They look to be from relatively affluent families. The boys look like younger teenagers, probably 14-15 years old. Boys from affluent families commonly wore knickers longer than boys from working-class families.

We note kneepants which were once so common largely disappear in the 1920s. We still note them being worn in the early 1920s, especially for younger boys. Boys in Europe began wearing short pants rather than kneepants switching to knickers in their teens. Just when in their teens varied from family to family. In America short pants were also worn, but knickers were much more common, even for primary (elementary) school age boys. Above-the-knee knickers had become quite standard in the United Statesby the late 1910 and were commonly worn in the early 20s. Gradually below-the-knee knickers became more common by the end of the decade. Primarily because the boys preferred the longer length as more mature. Boys in Europe began wearing short pants rather than kneepants switching to knickers in their teens. Just when in their teens varied from family to family. In America short pants were also worn, but knickers were much more common, even for primary (elementary) school age boys. All kinds of different pants were worn for formal occassions. We note all kinds of hosiery being worm in the 1920s. Boys wore three-quarter siocks, kneesocks, and long syockings.

Pants Types

We note kneepants which were once so common largely disappear in the 1920s. We still note them being worn in the early 1920s, especially for younger boys. A good example here are younger boys' wash suits offered by an American department store in 1922. We also notice kneepants persisting in formal suits that might be worn for First Communion or confirmastion. Especially baggy plus-four knickers become fashionable. We notice an older boy wearing a short-pants suit with cuffed knee socks, perhaps English but probably German, in the 1920s. The short length of his trousers and the lack of ornamental buttons means that these are really shorts rather than knee pants. The newer style of short pants being adopted in the United States is well illustrated by three California brothers, who all wear them. The youngest boy wears shorts with beige long stockings (notice the supporters showing) while the middle boy wears the more conservative black stockings. The oldest boy has switched to knee socks with cuffs. By 1925 knee pants had almost totally been abandoned. We note button-on outfits in the 1920s. Here we see German brothers wearing button-on outfits. The two boys are dressed in a coordinated way with what look to me like button-on matching suits (although with different neckties). They were knee-length short pants with white long stockings and strap shoes. Their father is apparently a Lutheran pastor (note the preaching tabs). The two boys seem to be about 5 and 8 years old.

Age

The type of pants worn by a boy in the 1920s was signifgicantly affected by age, but here conventions varied by country and often sociasl class. Some older boys in the United States had begun to buckle their knickers below the knee. One photograph of an American teenager in 1921 shows him wearing below-the-knee knickers but still with the conventional long black stockings. Younger boys, however, continued to wear above-the-knee knickers. We have an interesting photo of the Wright brothers from Louisiana (taken in 1924) showing the two older boys wearing such knickers, while their still younger brothers have been dressed in the newer-style short pants, short enough to expose the hose supporters holding up their stockings. Notice that in 1924 all the Louisiana boys wear the lighter colored long stockings rather than black. American boys of all ages might wear overalls in rural areas. European boys were more likely to wear short pants. Short pants often cut to knee length were common throughout Europe and bioys might wear them even in the winter. Some older boys might wear knickers. While knickers and short pants were commonly worn by boys, some boys also wore long pants. Here a range of factors were involved that affected family preferences.

Material

We do not have a lot of information on material yet. We know that flannel was very popular in Britain for both shorts and long pants. American boys commonly wore cotduroy knicketrs. Corduroy shorts were commonly worn in Germany. Younger boys might wear knitted shorts. We note a German boy in a knitted suit with knitted short pants (1929). We mention knitted shorts in Montreal, so I think we should show that they also were worn in Germany.

Conventions

All kinds of different pants were worn for formal occassions. Although short pants had become very common in Germany by the 1920s, they had not entirely displaced the older-style knee pants for formal occasions. Note this German boy wearing a very elegant sailor suit, photographed during the decade of the 1920s. The pants come exactly to the knee, neither above nor below, and have the traditional ornamental buttons just above the hem. Knee pants may have been considered dressier than short pants, especially during the earlier parts of the decade. American boys wear short pants for their first communion. This picture seems to date from about 1925. Here the younger boy wears a white communion suit with extremely short pants and long white stockings, while the older boy wears knickers and black stockings. These knickers may fasten below or above the knee. The photo is not too clear on this point.

Country Trends

There were differences among countries as to the types of pants boys wore before World War I (1914-18), but the difference became more oronounced, especilly the difference between how American and European boys dressed after the War. Above-the-knee knickers had become quite standard in the United States by the late 1910 and were commonly worn in the early 20s. Gradually below-the-knee knickers became more common by the end of the decade. Primarily because the boys preferred the longer length as more mature. One American boy photographed from this decade with his dog wears knickers that are short enough to show the supporters holding up his black long stockings. In Germany, however, and other parts of Europe, above-the-knee knickers seem to have been less popular. This was probably because short pants wrre more popular and the boys wearing knickers were mostly older boys. In America short pants were also worn, but knickers were much more common, even for primary (elementary) school age boys. A good example of the American style of boys' trousers--above-the-knee knickers--is provided by a Florida boy from the early 1920s. He wears the traditional black long stockings, but the knickers come down to only three or four inches above the knee. Most above-the-knee knickers were longer than this, but the photo is particularly illustrative of the style. In Canada, the new short pants (as opposed to knee pants) had been adopted, but the shorts were often worn quite long (as knee pants would have been worn in slightly earlier times). A portrait of the Fowler children in Montreal, taken in 1929, shows the older boy (about 9 years old), dressed in typical schoolboy clothes, with a sweater, a tie, and shorts worn with black long stockings. The younger child appears to be in rompers. A contrasting photograph from the same year, also taken in Montreal, illustrates the new style of knitted short pants, which could often be quite short. The 7- or 8-year old Kastner boy wears knitted short pants with long beige or light tan long stockings, which complement his neat pullover sweater and neat tie. He is obviously wearing dress-up clothes for the portrait, but his outfit illustrates a very common Canadian fashion for schoolboys, especially in culturally conversative Quebec. With the knitted short pants, the stockings have to be very long to cover his legs Notice a German boy, wearing a sailor suit on the first day of class at his school. His pants can be described as short pants rather than knee pants because of their length, and although it is difficult to tell, we suspect that there are no ornamental buttons. The shortness of the pants of course requires much longer black stockings than were worn earlier with knee-length pants. Boys in Europe began wearing short pants rather than kneepants switching to knickers in their teens. Just when in their teens varied from family to family. .

Lengths

Knickers were still commonly above the knee, especially in the early 1920s. The upperclass manufacturer Hart, Schnaffer & Marx in 1922 offered a variety of boys' suits. Here two styles are advertised--one worn with knee socks and the other with the more conservative long black stockings. Note that both styles of knickers fasten above the knee (notice that you can see that the black stockings actually cover the knees). You can also see that the boy's bare knee is partly exposed. The two boys are quite formally dressed with shirts and ties, but the boy with bare knees shows a slightly more informal or sporty tendency.

Accompanying Clothes

Another German schoolboy with a first day goodie cone wears a sailot suit, a opular style at the time. He is standing in front of his school and has also adopted the new style of short pants, worn now with the increasingly popular beige or light tan long stockings. These are short, not knee pants, and they come down only to a couple of inches above his knee. Another upscale manufacturer, De Pinna, advertised boys' short-pants suits in a style that imitated the way English schoolboys were dressed. This style seems to have had a certain snob appeal and was aimed particularly at boys from upperclass families, most often from the American East Coast.

Conventions

Mothers still employed the type of pants and other clothes as a kind of age grading. Often the type of pants was involved with this, but not always. We note American boys with long short pants--one with double breasted suit and long stockings. This is interesting for the age-grading--one boy wearing a suit and the other wearing only a fancy shirt--also for the length of the short pants and the new style tan long stockings. A Brooklyn first communion photo about 1925 shows age-grading in about 1925. The younger boy wears the new-style short pants (with matching long white stockings) while the older boy wears knickers and black stockings. We can't tell in this case whether the knickers fasten above or below the knee because the boy is standing, and the photo is not very clear on this point.

Hosiery

We note all kinds of hosiery being worm in the 1920s with different kinds of pants. Boys wore three-quarter siocks, kneesocks, and long stockings. The Ritchie brothers, American boys, show that above-the-knee knickers were still popular. We see many younger boys in the early 20 weearing three-quarter socks. Knee socks were more common for older boys and became increasingly common as the decade progressed. Two of the brothers wear this style of knickers, one with black and the other with the new beige long stockings, while the littlest boy wears short pants with socks. Black long stockings were still very common, but we see some boys weaing various shade of tan stockings. We note fewer boys wearing long stockings, but tey were still very common. German boys commonly wore long stockings, especially in the winter. We also see boys wearing better quality sheer long stockings for formal occassions like First Communion or Confirmations.