Suspender Shorts: Age Trends


Figure 1.--This photograph is unidentified. We only know it was taken by the Record Photo Studio. We believe it was taken in America about 1920, but this only a guess. This boy looks to be about 6 years old. Note the thickness of the suspender straps.

Many considered belts inappropriate for little boys as thus the suspender style shorts were made for them. The actual age of boys wearing suspender shorts varied chronologically and also by country. Generally suspender shorts in America were only made for boys in sizes up to 7 or 8 years old. This varied somewhat from country to country and over time. They were more common in Europe, but not in Britain. Many of our images of suspender shorts are from the 1920s-50s. After the 1960s we note increasingly younger boys wearing suspender shorts.We have noted older European boys wearing them. We have seen boys up to about 10 commonly wearing them, but occassionally we see boys 11-12 wearing them. Rarely do we see teenagers wearing them.

General Trends

Many parents considered belts inappropriate for little boys. Thus there were alternative ways to keep boys pants up. One of these were suspender straps made as part of the pants. The actual age of boys wearing suspender shorts varied chronologically and also by country. Generally suspender shorts in America were only made for boys in sizes up to 7 or 8 years old. This varied somewhat from country to country and over time. They were more common in Europe and made for somewhat older boys. Of course trends varied from country to country. They were not very common in Britain. Many of our images of suspender shorts are from the 1920s-50s whenh they were most common. After the 1960s we note increasingly younger boys wearing suspender shorts.We have noted older European boys wearing them. We have seen boys up to about 10 commonly wearing them, but occassionally we see boys 11-12 wearing them. Rarely do we see teenagers wearing them.

Specific Years

We have information or images on boys wearing suspenders shorts up to about age 11-12 years. This varied chronologically and by country.

3 Years Old


4 Years Old


5 Years Old


6 Years Old

The boy in the photograph here looks to be about 6 years old in a photograph probably taken in the 1920s. French clothing advertisements in the 1950s show suspender shorts for boys in sizes 2-6 years. An example is Le Redoute in 1959.

7 Years Old

Generally suspender shorts in America were only made for boys in sizes up to 7 or 8 years old.

8 Years Old

We note a German boy in the early 1950s who looks about 8 years old.

9 Years Old


10 Years Old


11 Years Old


12 Years Old

After about age 11 it becomes increasingly rare to see boys wearing suspender shorts.









HBC





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Created: May 15, 2004
Last updated: 6:43 PM 11/18/2005