* boys clothes: knickerrs styles -- plus fours








Knicker Styles: Plus Fours


Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified American boy wearing a new suit with the pklus-four look, although we are unsure if the suit actually had the full 4 inches added. The portrait is undated, but was probably taken in the late-1920s, perhaps 1930. Mother had bought a new suit for the boy's First Communion, but not one that was specifically chosen for the event. The poertrait is fistoted slightly by the camera angle. We cannot read the studio information, but we can see the portrait was taken in Evansville, Indiana.

Long baggy knickers became very popular in the mid- 1920s and were considered to be smart casual wear for adults. They were worn in much the same way shorts are now worn by adults. They were called plus fours because they were made with added material. They were called 'plus fours' because for adults they extended 4 inches (10 cm) below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickers). Knickers for adults had traditionally been associated with sporting attire since they first appeared (1860)s. Plus fours were introduced in the 1920s and became popular among sportsmen--particularly golfers and game shooters--as they allowed more freedom of movement than standard knickers. Fashion historians described then as an 'extravagant, careless style that fit right in with the looser fashions and lifestyles of the 1920s.' The fashionable Edward Prince of Wales (future short-term Edward VIII) introduced them to America during a 1924 trip. Some manufacturersexperiments with plus-twos and plus sixes, but it was the plus-fours that were the most popoular and we see most commonly in the photographic record. This look did not affect boys' knickers to the same extent it did adult fashions. And of course an added 4 inces makes a mnuch greater difference for a boy than an adult. This did not affect British boys fashions much as they were modstly eweraing short opants, but iut did affect American noys who were mostly weraring knickers. We do see more American boys wearing longer, fuller cut knickers for a brief time after the mid-20s. Some younger boys wearing this style seem to virtually get lost in the seemingly all enveloping knickers.

Cut

These full cut knickers y were called plus fours because they were made with added material. They were called 'plus fours' because for adults they extended 4 inches (10 cm) below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickers). Some manufacturersexperiments with plus-twos and plus sixes, but it was the plus-fours that were the most popoular and we see most commonly in the photographic record.

Sporting Attire

Knickers for adults had traditionally been associated with sporting attire since they first appeared (1860)s. Plus fours were introduced in the 1920s and became popular among sportsmen--particularly golfers and game shooters--as they allowed more freedom of movement than standard knickers. Fashion historians described then as an 'extravagant, careless style that fit right in with the looser fashions and lifestyles of the 1920s.'

Chronology

Baggy knickers became very popular in the 1920s and were considered to be smart casual wear for adults. "Plus fours" were introduced in 1924. Plus fours were worn in much the same way shorts are now worn by adults. These were popularized by Edward VIII when he was the Prince of Wales. Plus fours remained popular through the 1920s. The Great Stock Market Crash of 1929 had a pervasive impact on fashions--including plus fours. The extra material in plus fours made them more expensive--an increasingly significant disr\ensentive as the Depression worsened. The accompanying Argyl stocks also declined in popularity as less expensive solid color socks became more common. The appearance of "walk" shorts in 1933 helped to make plus fours look increasingly old fashioned and uncomfortable on a warm day.

Edward VIII

The fashionable Edward Prince of Wales (future short-term Edward VIII did not begin as as clothes horse. Edward as a boy like his brothers was dressed in sailor suits. His father, King Geoirge V, strobly approved of this appraoch. As he became older after World War I he became obsessed with fashion and trebndy clothes. He begasn wearing plus fours informally on the golf coiurse abd while shooting. He us stringly associated wuth the style. He introduced plus fours to America during a 1924 trip. Edward like his grand father was a fastiious dresser--although this is not suggested by the plus fours. They looked down on people who did not conform to the fashion convdntions of the time. What he and his grandfather wore had a major inpact on 1920s fashions. He was constabntly photographed by reporters and his image was a major attraction in 1920s magazines. This tailed off a bit in the 1930s, probanly because of the Depression. He then abdicated because of Mrs. Simpson, an American divorcee (1936). We are not sure which sin was worse in the eyes of the British establishment at the time. Given what we know now, Mrs. Simpson probably did the British people a great service.

Styles

They were called plus fours because they were made with added material. The name refers to the extra material used. Plus fours were made wider and blouced 4 inches below regular knickers. A less popular form was the "plus twos" which did not have the fullness of "plus fours"--only falling 2 inches below the knees. There were also "plus sixes", but it was the "plus fours" that caught the public's eyes. The flamboyance of the baggy "plus fours" was atuned to the teport of the times. World War I (1914-18) was over and the survivors wanted to enjoy life. Many experimented with new styles. Plus fours were commonly worn with argle socks, silk ties and shirts, the Gatsby look, flappers, Panama caps, and bath tub gin. Plus fours were worn as casual stacks with sweaters as well as complete suits.

Boys Clothing

They were initiated as a sporty style for men. This look did not affect boys' knickers to the same extent it did adult fashions. And of course an added 4 inces makes a mnuch greater difference for a boy than an adult. But boys and a few girls also wore them. The Indiana boy here is a good example in his First Communion portrait. Some younger boys wearing this style seem to get lost in the seemingly all enveloping knickers.

Country Trends

Plus Fours while originating in England did not affect English boys fashions much as they were modstly wearaing short opants. As on the Continent, some yonger teenagers did wear knickers, but this was mostly relatively sffluent classes with the money to endulge in fashion. Notably it was the style Belgian cartoonist Hergé chosefor his teenage reporter Tintin created in 1929. Thery seem to hve been edspecually populas in Scandanavia where boys wore them into into the 1950s. Plus fours did affect American boys who were mostly wearing knickers. We doi not see masny Amertican boys wearing sctual plus fours, but we do see more American boys wearing longer, fuller cut knickers for a brief time after the mid-20s. Some younger boys wearing this style seem to virtually get lost in the seemingly all enveloping knickers.







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Created: September 13, 2000
Last edited: 6:14 PM 12/13/2020