Figure 1.--Short pants became a standard garment for European boys in the ealy 20th century and this ciontinued into the 1960s. They were worn at different lengths and with different types of hosiery. Here we have a Gertman boy in the 1950s.

Boys have over time worn a wide range of different kinds of pants and the different types have varied substantially over time. For many years as pants developed, both boys and men wore the same styles. Boys for most of the 18th century wore knee breeches like their fathers. Long pants appeared in the late 19th cenntury with skeleton suits--the first dedicated outfit for children in the modern age. Boys wore long pants for much of the 19th century, especially the early and mid-19th century. Bloomer knickers and kneepants appeared in the mid-9th century. Kneepants were a major style for boys by the late 19th century. Sone boys wore long pants, but knee pants became a standard styles for boys. Short pants for boys had appeared in the 1890s, but were not very common, mostly worn by younger boys. There use by the British Army in tropical postings and then by the Boy Scouts and Wandervogel had by the 1910s made them increasingl popular for older boys in Eurpope. They were widely worn by European boys for severl decades. Knickers also became important in the early 20th century, especially in America. Long pants began to increase in popularity after World War II. And now are a standard style. Short pants evolved into casualwear during warm weather. A variety of play outfits for younger boys such a romper and overalls in the 1900s. We also notice style like Capri pants.

The 1900s

The 1910s

The 1920s

The 1930s

The 1940s

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.

The 1950s

Boys around the world mostly wore short and long trousers, although other types of pants were also worn to a lesser degree. Short pants were not as common as they were in the 1940s, although the pattern varied from country to country. They continued to be widely worn in most European countries, but much less so in America. More boys were wearing long pants, especially older boys. Long pants were becoming especially common in cold weater. This was particularly true in America, but was becoming increasingly common in Europe as well. Knickers virtually disappeared in the 1950s. They were no longer seen in America, but we notice them still be worn by a few boys in some European countries during the early 50s. We also see a variety of other types of pants. Some German boys were wearing knicker-length ski pants. We also see German boys wearing Lederhosen. Rompers were very popular for younger boys in France and Italy, but were worn in other countries as well.

The 1960s