Figure 1.--Theis French boy looks to be about 15 years old. He was pgotographed for a postcard, probably in the 1920s. Click on the image for an analysis of this card.
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Figure 1.--Theis French boy looks to be about 15 years old. He was pgotographed for a postcard, probably in the 1920s. Click on the image for an analysis of this card. |
French boys during the inter-war years commonly wore short pants suits. While not universal, it was unusual to yet elementary age boys wearing long pants suits. It addition younger secondary school boys also common wore shortpants suits. Boys did not begin wearing long pants suit until they were 13 or 14 years of age and many even older boys wore them. At first short pants were very long, almost like kneepants, but without the three bittons at the hem. The length of the short pants worn with short pants suits was similar to the length worn by English boys in the 1920s and early 1930s. By the late 1930s, however, shorter styled shorts began to become more common. By the 1940s shorter lengths had become increasingly common. In many, especially France and Italy, the fashion for increasingly shorter shorts became wide spread. Boys tended to wear kneesocks with their suits. Some boys, especially during the summer wore short socks. A few even wore white socks.
French boys during the inter-war years commonly wore short pants suits. Not all boys wore them, especially by the 1930s many older boys were wearing knickers andvby thev 40s older boys often wore long pants. Shorts were, however, very common. HBC is not sure as to wgich boys were most likely to wear shorts. Were there social or regional differences?
Shorts pants suits were commonly worn throughout the interwar period. There were, however, substantial differences between the suits worn in the early 1920s and those worn by the early 1940s. HBC has only begun, however, to develop details on the changes during this period.
Short pants generally replaced kneepants. during the 1920s. The shorts, however tended to be quite long--often knee level. I'm not sure just what age boys wore short pants suits, but mosts boys through at least 13 or so commonly wore them.
Formal short pants suits were mostly worn with knee socks, but ankle socks were often worn on more casual occasions and were most common during the summer. Kneesocks were somewhat less common than in England. Short pants suits were made for boys in sizes up to 16 years. Boys from 8 to 16 years of age might have a suit with both a pair of short pants and a pair of knickers. The length of the shorts varied. Some boys, especially older boys, might still wear quite long shorts in the 1930s. Some were even worn at knee length, but this was becoing less common. Kneesocks were commonly worn with shorts when dressing up in a suit. HBC has little information about colors, but lighter colors appear to have been popular. HBC does not note a lot of dark colored suits.
Boys in the 1920d-40s often did not have large wardrobes. Thus in many cases a boys only jacket might be his suit jacket. Thus boys swere likely to wear suits mucj more commonly than was the case after world War II (1939-45).
I do not believe vests were commonly worn by French boys.
While not universal, it was unusual to yet elementary age boys wearing long pants suits. It addition younger secondary school boys also common wore shortpants suits. Boys did not begin wearing long pants suit until they were 13 or 14 years of age and many even older boys wore them.
At first short pants were very long, almost like kneepants, but without the three bittons at the hem. The length of the short pants worn with short pants suits was similar to the length worn by English boys in the 1920s and early 1930s. By the late 1930s, however, shorter styled shorts began to become more common. By the 1940s shorter lengths had become increasingly common. In many, especially France and Italy, the fashion for increasingly shorter shorts became wide spread.
Information not yet developed.
Information not yet developed.
Boys tended to wear kneesocks with their suits. Some boys, especially during the summer wore short socks. Some even wore white socks. I am not sure how common this was. Except for school unifiorms it might have been primarily younger boys..
Many European boys like French boys wore short pants suits during the inter-war era. HBC has, however only begun to collect comparative data.
Short pants suits by the 1920s had become the standard for boys'
suits. Most elementary age boys wore short pants suits. Suits in fact
were much or commonly worn at the time than is the case today. The
casual styles worn today were little seen in the 1920s and 30s. Boys
wore short pants suits for activities for which the modern boy would
not dream of wearing a suit.
Some boys wore short panrs suits in the 1920s, although they were generally worn by younger boys or boys from more affluent families, often with English or European connections. Knickers on the other hand were very common in America during the inter-war years--even older boys wore them in the 1920s.
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