Figure 1.--German boys commonly wore suspender shorts in the 1940s. Sometines the suspender straps buttoned on the front. These seem, to be sewn on securely. This boy is shown with his first day of school in 1949 with goodie cone. Notice is school book bag.

Most boys in the 1940s wore either short or long pants. The knickers that had been so popular in America, rapidly disappeared during World War II. Most boys wote long pants, but short pants were still worn by many younger American boys during the 40s. Short pants were much more common throughout the 1940s in Europe. Some older boys wore knickers which persisted in Europe after they had largely disappered in America. Rompers were especially popular in France. World War II began with the NAZI invasion of Poland (September 1939). It was, however, mosdtly fought during the War. Boys and other fashions were significantly affected by the War.Boys commonly wore short pants in Europe. They were also worn in America, but not as commonly. Here there were regional and social class variations. Rather Amrerican boys had more commonly worn knickers. American boys rapidly switched to long pants in the early 1940s. This trend becomes increasingly common after World War II (1939-45), even in Europe. European boys more commonly wore short pants throughout the 1940s. Older boys might still wear knickers, but this fashion declined in Europe during the 40s. The actual trends varied from country to country. We note varying kinds of trouser suspension. Belts appear to hasve become more common than suspenders. We also notice button-on and suspender pants. British boys continued wearing short trousers with kneesocks, but short socks were becoming more popular in most other countries. Boys in the 1940s still wore short pants suits, but shorts were becomong more common as casuakl and school wear as stand along garments. They were less commonly worn as part of suits. Most youth groups around the world wore short pants. This was almost universal for Scouting, except for America. American Scouts did away with breeches and adopted long pants along woth an optgional short pants uniform during the summer.

Pants Types

Most boys in the 1940s wore either short or long pants, but there were other types of pans The knickers that had been so popular in America, rapidly disappeared during World War II. Most American boys wote long pants, but short pants were still worn by many younger boys during the 40s. Short pants were much more common throughout the 1940s in Europe. They were worn by boys in some cases into their early teens. Here social class and family references were important factors. Some older boys wore knickers which persisted in Europe after they had largely disappered in America. Some boys also wore knicker-like ski pants. Rompers were especially popular in France and Italy, but were worn in other countries as well. Rompers could be both play suits and dress outfits. Younger French boys were often dressed up especially for holidays. Notice the Easter romper suit (called a “barbateuse”) that this boy wears for Easter. In Canada, the 1940 Eaton's catalog offered suits with three different styles of trousers--long pants, knickers, and short pants (worn with long stockings). Knickers were dying out in Canada just as in the United States, but short pants suits, often worn with long stockings, were still worn in Canada, not only because of the chilly weather but also because of the cultural conservatism (especially in Quebec) and the greater British influence.

World War II

World War II began with the NAZI invasion of Poland (September 1939). It was, however, mostly fought during the War. Boys and other fashions were significantly affected by the War.

Country Trends

Boys around the world commonly wore short pants in the 1940s, especially in Europe. The major exception was America where long pants were much more common. Many American boys still wore knickers in 1940, but knickers rapidly went out of style during World War II. Yonger American boys might wear knickers, but this became more of a seasonal style in the 1940s and generally declined in popularity as the decade progressed. Canadian styles generally followed American styles, although knickers persisted longer there. We also not boys wearing breeches. Whole most European boys wore short pants, we see knickers and long pants more commonly than in the 1930s, often during the winter. Many boys wore knickers for a few years as teenagers before beginning to wear long pants. While this was the basic pattern, we note considerable differences from country to country. English boys did not commonly wear knickers. Also English boys congtinued to wear knee-length sgort pants, rather than the shorter styles that boys on the continent wore. Lederhosen became more populasr in Germany. Fashion developments were arrested during the first half of the decade. Boys in many countries were lucky to get any new clothes at all, let alone fashionable clothes. Some boys wore clothes that they had really grown out or weore out longer than would normally be the case.

Age

Older boys might still wear knickers, but this fashion declined in Europe during the 40s. The actual trends varied from country to country.

Material

Knitted shorts were worn in Europe. Knitted shorts seem to have been especially popular in France and Germany. Our example here may be French boy, although we can’t be certain. These shorts are very brief, almost like modern swimming trunks, and we note that the boy is barefoot, probably at a beach somewhere. But he is not dressed for swimming. He is merely being casual—perhaps because he is on holiday.

Suspension

We note varying kinds of trouser suspension. Belts appear to hasve become more common than suspenders. American boys commonly wore button-on pants in the United Stastes. Button-on pants were also worn in Europe, but not as commonly. We see a boy 6 or 7 yeatrs old, wearing a formal short-pants suit with button-on trousers. American boys wore these suits with both ankle socks and knee socks. A German boy wore suspender shorts, again with the H-bar halter. This is a somewhat more formal outfit, perhaps home made by the mother who poses with her son. Again we can’t be sure what sort of hosiery the boy wears with his shorts. Long stockings or knee socks would both be usual, especially continental Europe. Some American boys, like their German counterparts, wore suspender shorts, although the style was limited in the U.S. to quite small boys. One of our photos shows two American boys at Christmas, 1940, one of whom wears suspender shorts. Note that both boys wear ankle socks with two-tone “saddle” shoes, another period fad. An example of suspender short pants in Italy can be seen in a photo of 1942. The Italian boy seems to be about 11 years old, showing that the style was by no means confined to very young boys. Note that the boy seems to wear no socks although the photo is somewhat unclear on this point.

Accompanying Clothes

Boys in the 1940s still wore short pants suits, but shorts were becomong more common as casual and school wear as stand along garments. They were less commonly worn as part of suits. An American advertisement shows more short pants suits in several styles. One style features a belt with the shorts. Most such suits were single breasted, but Sears shows one model which is collarless and double breasted—a kind of modern sailor suit. These suits are obviously meant for formal wear. Although knicker suits had been the dominant American style for dressing up in 1930s, this changed rapidly in the 1940s. Some mothers, especially in conservative areas of the country such as the Northeast, dressed their sons in short pants suits of the sort that were common in Great Britain. These suits were worn with both knee socks and long stockings, depending on the degree of formality desired and also on how chilly the weather was. The Sears 1941 Spring catalog illustrated this conservative and dressy style for a boy wearing the standard tan long stockings made of cotton and requiring hose supporters to keep them in place. Some boys were sent to school in such suits. Notice the formal shirt and tie, and the schoolboy peaked cap (a style of headgear imported from England). The boy in the Sears ad seems to be a fourth or fifth grader (about 9 years old). Long pants were becoming increasingly fashionable in many families, even for younger boys. A 1941 Sears catalog, shows both short pants sets and “longies” for juvenile lads, although these clothes seem to be designed mainly for play or for informal wear. Knickers and knicker suits were rapidly disappearinhg in the 1940s, but knicker suits were still available in 1942. A Sears 1942 ad offers one suit with knicker pants as well as the more common short pants and long pants. In French Alsace in 1945-46 teenage school boys continued in a few cases to wear the traditional short pants suits with knee socks up until about age 15. Most boys in the class by this time, however, had started to wear suits with long pants. In the second photo on the Alsace page, we see both short pants and long pants suits represented.

Institutional wear

School portraits are wonderful indicators of popular styles, both because they are normally dated and display the clothes being wiorn by large numbers of chilsren. Most private schools in England had required school uniforms, but this was not common at state schools. Most of the private prep schools had short pants uniforms. American private schools also had uniforms. State and parochial schools did not have uniforms. In Catholic Quebec, schoolboys, especially at Church-run schools, were still required to wear short pants and long stockings during the 1940s. Notice that the shorts a Quebec boy is wearingb in this 1942 photo are quite short and that the long stockings are not only beige in color but heavily ribbed, ribbed stockings being considered a more masculine style than plain knit ones. Secondary schools in Italy at the end of the decade seem to have taught most of their teenage charges dressed in short pants. A typical photo shows the boys wearing either suits or short pants with sweaters of open-necked shirts. One boy in the group, however, wears knickers. The Italian boys seem to have preferred ankle socks to knee socks—even the boy in knickers. The ankle socks may partly reflect the warmer climate of Italy. We see long stockings again in a Montreal orphange in 1943, where the children wear one-piece short-pants play suits as a uniform. A few of the children wear ankle socks, but most are dressed in the more protective—and more modest—tan long stockings favored by the nuns who run the institution. The shorts are understandably fairly short.

Youth Groups

Most youth groups around the world wore short pants. This was almost universal for Scouting, except for America. American Scouts did away with breeches and adopted long pants along woth an optgional short pants uniform during the summer. Most Scouts chose long pants even during the summer. The Boy Scout Assocization made shorts mandatory at ca,ps and the 1937 Jamboree. Cubs could also wear long or shorts, but most chose longs. A few Cubs were still wearing their knickers uniform during World War II. We note some American Cubs working on scrap dives in 1944. We rarely see knickers being wiorn by Scouts or Cubs after the War. By 1944, knickers had almost disappeared as trousers for boys in the United States. But the Cub Scouts held onto an earlier style for their uniforms (see fig. 2 on the page). The Hitler Youth had a sjort pants uniform, but older boys could wear ski-ants in the winter. The Soviet Young Pioneers dod not yet commonmly wear uniforms.

Hosiery

We notice most boys wearing ankle socks, but kneesocks wrere still common in Europe, less so in America. British boys continued wearing short trousers with kneesocks, but short socks were becoming more popular in most other countries. Long stockings persuisted in some countries. In rural parts of Germany, boys commonly wore suspender shorts with long stockings in the 1940s. A German boy is a good example. Notice the rather elaborate H-bar suspenders, designed almost like a complex harness. The shorts are quite short, and the beige long stockings worn with them (obviously with a Leibchen) cover almost the entire thigh. This boy seems to be about 8 or 9. Long stockings were particularly prevalent in rural areas of Germany. Shorts worn with long stockings were also common in Norway. In 1940, just before the NAZI invasion of the country, we see a rural boy in short pants, grey long stockings, and Wellington boots. He appears to be dressed for farm chores. Knickers, in the few examples we have of them in the 1940s, could be worn with ankle socks rather than with the traditional knee socks or long stockings. We see an American boy in a photograph probably taken in 1942 since the boy seems to seeing his soldier father off to war.