Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
A very popular style for younger boys were pants with elastic wastes. This made dressing theselves easy for young people and it made other stles of trouser suspension (suspenders or button-on styles) unecessary. I'm not sure when they first appeared, think in the 1930s, but this needs more investigation. Elastic waists were commonly made for shorts. They included full elastic all around with shorts without flys--commonly play shorts. There were also partial elastic waists for more formal shorts with flys. These are often referred to as boxer shorts, referring to the trunks worn by boxers (prize fighters). The term boxer shorts is now more commonly used for short pants-like underwear. While the term "boxer" was most commonly used for short pants in the 1950s, we also noted advertisements for boxer long pants jeans in the 1950s. We have never noted elasticized waist knickers or kneepants. An American HBC reader remembers from 1960s jeans with elastic in the back to hold up pants. This style was for boys probably until age 8 or so though he remembers one boy (it was unusual that is why he remembered it) who was very thin and wore them up until age 11 or so. English readers remember velvet short pants, some even made in velveteen, that were popular for younger boys in the 1970s.
A very popular style for younger boys were pants with elastic wastes. This made dressing theselves easy for young people and it made other stles of trouser suspension (suspenders or button-on styles) unecessary. Suspenders were difficult for little ones to handle as wll as being restrictive. Button-on shorts required specifically made button on shirts. They could not be worn, for example with casual styles like "T"-shirts.
I'm not sure when they first appeared, think in the 1930s, but this needs more investigation. An American HBC reader remembers from 1960s jeans with elastic in the back to hold up pants. This style was for boys probably until age 8 or so though he remembers one boy (it was unusual that is why he remembered it) who was very thin and wore them up until age 11 or so.
We have noted suspender shorts and longs. There may have been suspender knickers or kneepants, but we can not yet confirm this.
Elastic waists were commonly made for shorts. They included full elastic all around with shorts without flys--commonly plauy shorts. There were also partial elastic waists for more formal shorts with flys. These are often referred to as boxer shorts, referring to the trunks worn by boxers (prize fighters). The term boxer shorts is now more commonly used for short pants-like underwear. English readers remember velvet short pants, some even made in velveteen, that were popular for younger boys in the 1970s.
While the term "boxer" was most commonly used for short pants with elasticized waists, there were also in the 1950s, we also noted advertisements for boxer long pants jeans in the 1950s.
