Figure 2.--This image from the 1860s shows a father and his sons. Notice that all the boys are dressed identically. By the 1880s, it was more common to mark age differences with small distinctions in how the boys were dressed. I have some details about the family, but it is on a different computer. Note the above the knee style.

Knicker suits were worn by boys for about 100 years. Chronological trends were quite similarvin Europe and America until after World War I when significan differences developed between American and Europe.Knicker suits in America are today generally associated with the 1910s-20s, but modern knickers were worn as early as the 1860s. (This is the earlist that I have noticed them, but this may be because the photographic record is more complete in the 1860s. There seem to be relatively little evidence of them in the the 1850s, but I am reviewing available information on boys' fashions. The sons of Alfred Lord Tennyson, for example, were outfitted in tunics and knickers during the 1860s. How widespread knickers were in the 1860s I do not know, but I notice images of them in the 1860s for the first time in the 1860s. They seem to have become common in England by the 1870s. Knee pants appear to have been more common in America during this period. I believe that knickers declined in popularity somewhat during the late 19th Century. I have not yet reserched this well. Currently this conclusion is based only in the relatively limited number of American boys in knickers in the available photographic record and the fashion magazines of the day. Kneepant outfits would appear much more prevalent than knickers. Knickers appear somewhat more common in England. I'm not sure about the sitauation on the Continent. Knickers suits came into their own in the 1910s. The greatest change in children's clothing in the postwar period occurred when dressing boys in skirts until the age of four or five was discarded. Little girls wore dresses cut much like those of their mothers, straight and unfitted, but after world War I (1914-18), the practice of dressing little girls like little boys became increasingly rare. Instead, little boys increasingly wore romper suits or short pants. School-age boys wore knickers of corduroy or wool with knee-length socks. The eventual change from knicker to that first pair of long pants became symbolic of the change from boy to man. Knickers continued to be worn in the mid 20th century, but declined sharply in popularity during the 1940s. They were still worn in Europe in the early 50s, but rrely seen by the late 50s.

Mid-19th Century (1840-60)

Knicker suits in America are today generally associated with the 1910s-20s, but modern knickers were worn as early as the 1860s. (This is the earlist that I have noticed them, but this may be because the photographic record is more complete in the 1860s. There seem to be relatively little evidence of them in the the 1850s, but I am reviewing available information on boys' fashions. The sons of Alfred Lord Tennyson, for example, were outfitted in tunics and knickers during the 1860s. How widespread knickers were in the 1860s I do not know, but I notice images of them in the 1860s for the first time in the 1860s. They seem to have become common in England by the 1870s. Knee pants appear to have been more common in America during this period.

Late 19th Century (1870-1900)

I believe that knickers declined in popularity somewhat during the late 19th Century. I have not yet reserched this well. Currently this conclusion is based only in the relatively limited number of American boys in knickers in the available photographic record and the fashion magazines of the day. Kneepant outfits would appear much more prevalent than knickers, especially for older boys. By the 1890s kneepants suits seem much more common than knicker suits. This varied somewhat from country to country. Knickers appear somewhat more common in England. I'm not sure about the sitauation on the Continent.

Figure 3.--Boys of all ages wore knickers buckling above the knees during the 1910s and 20s. This Canadian family was photographed about 1910. Generally younger boys wore knickers in the 1930s.

Early 20th Century (1900-20)

Kneepants were the most common type of suit for boys at the turn of the 20th century. Knickers suits came into their own in the 1910s. They rapidly replaced kneepants suits for boys. Knicker suits with Norfolk styling wasespecially popular. With the popularity of knickers we begin to see for the first time major differences began to develop between American and British boys, but it was only fully apparent after World War I. The greatest change in children's clothing in the postwar period occurred when dressing boys in skirts until the age of four or five was discarded. Little girls wore dresses cut much like those of their mothers, straight and unfitted, but after world War I (1914-18), the practice of dressing little girls like little boys became increasingly rare. Instead, little boys increasingly wore romper suits or short pants. School-age boys wore knickers of corduroy or wool with knee-length socks. The eventual change from knickers to that first pair of long pants became symbolic of the change from boy to man.

Mid-20th Century (1920-60)

Knickers continued to be worn in the mid 20th century. There were major differences among America and European countries. Knicker suits were much more common in America than Europe, especially for younger boys. European boys more commonly wore short panrs suits intil their teens. There had untilm the post-World War I era been substantial similarities between European and American boyswear. Mahor differences developed after World War I. The tendencybof American boys to wear knivkers rather than shirt pabts was one of those differences. Knickers but declined sharply in popularity during the 1940s. They were still wirn in Europe in the early 50s, but rrely seen by the late 50s.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Cloth and textiles] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Satellite sites] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Navigate the Historic Boys ' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1900s] [The 1910s] [The 1920s] [The 1930s] [The 1940s] [The 1950s]

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Jackets] [Long pants suits] [Blazers] [Kil ts] [Sailor suits] [Short pants suits]
[Ring bearer/page costumes] [Eton suits]

Created: May 2, 2004
Last edited: May 2, 2004