Knee Pants: New Fashion


Figure 1.--This brother and sister were photographed in Meadville, Pennsylvania. It is undated, but we believe was taken in the 1870s. Notice the long length of the kneepants. They were becoming a standardized style for American boys at the time, espedcially city boys.

Knee pants for boys appeared at mid-century. Initially they were worn by younger boys after breeching, but ecentually they became an almost universal style for British, European, and American boys. At first kneepants were cut at many different lenhths, from just below the knee to just above the ankles. The length of just below the knees did not become standardized until the 1870s. One would think that mid-19th Century kneepants were a natural evolution from 18th Century knee breeches. In fact, however, knee breeches went out of fashion at the turn of the century. Boys had for decaded been wearing long pants. First with skeleton suits and sailor suits and then with other outfits. The knee pants whuch appeared at mid-century were an entirely different style. Many knee pants, however, retained the buttons at the hem of the pants, used for closing knee breeches. In most cases they were on kneepants purely ornamental. A reader writes, "Why did boys begin wearing knnepants after the mid-19th century. Boys since the turn of the 19th century had been commonly wearing long pants." We do not know. Nor do we know who created this style or why it developed. Some fashions are easily explained. We know for example who created jeans and why--there was a need for inexpemsive hard wearing work trousers. In the case of kneepants we do not know. They appear to be a fashion change not a practical innovation. At least I see nothing practical about them. Most fashion books mention the style, but do not explain why they became so popular. Here we are not sure just why this new fashion caught on. Most stylistic innovations do not. It seems that they idea of having a particular style of trousers for boys appealed to parents at the time. Perhaps our readers will have some insights.

Chronology

Knee pants for boys appeared at mid-century. Initially they were worn by younger boys after breeching, but ecentually they became an almost universal style for British, European, and American boys.

Lengths

Kneepants were cut at many different lenhths, from just below the knee to just above the ankles. The earlier kneepants we see were mormally cut quite long, often well over the knees to calf level. The length of just below the knees did not become standardized until agter the 1870s. Essentially they were cut at knee level. Normally the knee was covered when the boy was standing up. The hem would rise above the knee when the boy sat down.

Knee Breeches

One would think that mid-19th Century kneepants were a natural evolution from 18th Century knee breeches. In fact, however, knee breeches went out of fashion at the turn of the century. Boys had for decaded been wearing long pants. First with skeleton suits and sailor suits and then with other outfits. The knee pants whuch appeared at mid-century were an entirely different style. Many knee pants, however, retained the buttons at the hem of the pants, used for closing knee breeches. In most cases they were on kneepants purely ornamental.

Origins

A reader writes, "Why did boys begin wearing kneepants after the mid-19th century. Boys since the turn of the 19th century had been commonly wearing long pants." We do not know. Nor do we know who created this style or why it developed. Some fashions are easily explained. We know for example who created jeans and why--there was a need for inexpemsive hard wearing work trousers. In the case of kneepants we do not know. They appear to be a fashion change not a practical innovation. At least I see nothing practical about them. Most fashion books mention the style, but do not explain why they became so popular. Here we are not sure just why this new fashion caught on. Most stylistic innovations do not. It seems that they idea of having a particular style of trousers for boys appealed to parents at the time. Perhaps our readers will have some insights. A reader writes, "I have thought about this. I suspect, and it is only an opinion, that knee pants were a visual designation of childhood. Prior to mid-19th century most children worked (except for the nobility and affluent merchant classs). Even the tradesmen and artisans commonly apprenticed their children. After mid-century, school attendances becomes longrr and more regularized. More countries began providing free state schools. Also the issue of child labor arizes and laws are enacting restricting the employment of children. Thus it seems reasonable that destinctive styles would be developed for children. Knee pants were the destinctive style worn by boys."






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Created: 1:00 PM 11/18/20054
Last edited: 1:00 PM 11/18/2005