Figure 1.--American boys for much of the first half of the 20th century wore knickers. They were especially common in the 1910s and 20s. They declined in popularity during the 1930s, especially, for older teenagers, but were still widely worn. The boy here had his photograph taken with his little brother in 1932. Their names were Adam and Jake. For reasons that we do not full understand, knickers rapidly disappeared un America during the early 1940s.

HBC is not sure how to explain the changing popularity of both knickers and long stockings during the World War II era. We do know that long stockings were still widely worn with short pants in continental Europe at the time--especially in eastern and northern Europe (Germany and Russia being the chief examples). Our many photographs from Europe confirm this. Were American styles influenced by European customs just before and during the war? The same phenomenon seems to be noticeable also in Canada, although conservatism in Quebec plus the colder climate there could well have had something to do with the style. There was certainly no equivalent in Britain and France, however, countries that continued to dress boys in short pants but that favored knee socks rather than long stockings. This was also the period in America when knickers for boys up to about 16 reached their zenith and then rapidly declined. Both long stockings with short pants and knickers with patterned knee socks (a non-European style) died out at about the same time--by 1945. One point that HBC has already mentioned elsewhere is that elastic products (such as hose supporters) became difficult to come by during the war years. Elastic at the time was made from natural rubber. The Japanese seized control of the vast proportion of the wirl's production of natural rubber when they took Malaya, Singapore, and neigboring areas (1942). This shortage may have had something to do with the decline of long stockings, but it doesn't explain why there seems to have been a brief revival of the style in the late 1930s in America. It may be primarily fashion, but I have a feeling the War Production Board may have been involved. Less material was needed or socks than long stockings and knickers required more material than shorts, although I am not sure about longs. This combined with the shortage of elastic may have been important. Actually many knickers in the late 30s and early 40s were made with elaticised leg hems rather than buckles. I have never been able to find any write up on the WPB regulations on such matters. I think this is a subject that deserves some wider discussion. Perhaps our HBC readers will have some opinions worth recording.

Fashion Changes

We note very important fashion changes during the early 1940s. This change took place in America. We see many American boys commonly wearing knickers in the late 1930s, but very quickly in the early 1940s, knickers vanished from the fashion scene. At the sane time long stokings and the stocking supporters worn with them also quickly disappeared. Boyh boys and girls stopped wearing them. We do not see any comparable shift in Europe, although knickers may have become less common.

America

We note very important fashion changes during the early 1940s. This change took place in America. We see many American boys commonly wearing knickers in the late 1930s. They were not as popular as in the 1920s when we still commonly see teenagers wearing them. They were still very common for boys, although less so for teenagers. A good example here is Joseph Smith. Even so we still see them being made ro size 15 and 16 in many catalogs. But very quickly in the early 1940s, knickers vanished from the fashion scene for boys of all ages. At the sane time long stokings and the stocking supporters worn with them also disappeared. By this time, boys were more commonly wearing kneesocks with knickers. But we see younger boys wearing long stockings, even with short pants. They were also commonly worn by girls. Some children also wore them for formal occassions. Both long stockings with short pants and knickers died out at about the same time--by 1945. This suggests to us that the disappearance was related.

Europe

We do know that long stockings were still widely worn with short pants in continental Europe at the time--especially in eastern and northern Europe (Germany and Russia being the chief examples). Our many photographs from Europe confirm this. There was certainly no equivalent in Britain and France, however, countries that continued to dress boys in short pants but that favored knee socks rather than long stockings.

Canada

The same phenomenon seems to be noticeable also in Canada, although conservatism in Quebec plus the colder climate there could well have had something to do with the style.

Revival

American boys normally wore long stockings in the early 20th century, especially the 1900s and 10s. Younger boys might wear short socks during the summer. Long stockings were also commonly worn in the 1920s, although we begin to see kneesocks as well. The 1930s is more complicated. Long stockings were worn, but kneesocks may have been somewhat more common, especially by the late 30s. A HBC reader, however, reports something of a revival of long stockings in the late 30s. He tells us, "The brief period between 1937 to 1943 seems to give us mixed signals about the popularity of long stockings. On the one hand, our photographic evidence suggests that long stockings were rapidly declining as boys' wear during these years. But on the other hand, catalogs such as Sears and Wards advertised long stockings, together with the hose supporters and garter waists that they required, with more prominence than ever before, putting equal emphasis on boy and girl models in the illustrations. Long stockings were apparently selling well in the United States or there would hardly have been so many different grades and options available. So it is difficult to know whether there was a brief revival of emphasis on long stockings in the late 1930s and early 1940s or whether the increased advertising was merely a commercial attempt to promote a style that continued to be popular in Germany and other northern continental countries. We note the same prominence of long stockings in Canada, particularly in Quebec. There is no mystery, however, about the almost total disappearance of long stockings in America after 1945, the same year in which knickers also disappeared, although we must still speculate about the reasons for these shifts."

Causes

I'm not quite sure how to explain the changing popularity of long stockings and knickers during the World War II era. There are several factors which may have been involved. It is not entirely clear to us just what happened, but we will collect information here in an effort to better understand just what occurred. Of course it is not a matter of determining which of these developments was the casual factor. They may have all been pertinent factors to varying degrees. And of course there may be other factors that have not yet occurred to us.

Europen customs

A reader asks, "Were American styles influenced by European customs just before and during the War?" We note some European fashions, such as younger boys wearing berets when dressing up. We notice some affluent families choosing British-style short pants suits. For the most part, however, kt seems to us that American children's fashions in the 1930s and 40s was destibctive and notmuch influenced by European fashion. Of course once World War II began (September 1939), the fashion industry wa largely displaced by the War. Shortages developed and children in most of the beligerant countries were lucky to get any kind of new clothing. An exception here may have been Germany during the ealy years of the War. The Franco-German Armistace (June 1940) required substantial war reprirations. This was paid in large shipments of French products to Germny, including clothing.

World War II (1941-45)

The American consumer economy was booming in 1941. The economy was finally recoverung from the Depression, in part because of the war orders from Europe. This changed dramtically when a Japanese carrier taskforce attacked Pear Harbor (December 7, 1941). The United States quickly shifted from a peacetime consumer economy to a war economy. The Government created the War Production Board (WPB) to oversee this transformation. We at first thought that fabric shortages were a factor here. Many knickers were made very baggy with extra fabric which is why some were called plus fours. It took extra fabric to make knickers and long stockings. We think that the WPB may have issued orders to reduce production of knickers and long stockings. We do not yet have, however, information on WPB actions in this area. Another factor may be a shortage of elastic bevause of the rubber crisis following Pear Harbor. Elastic products (such as hose supporters) became difficult to come by during the war years. Elastic was also used to make knickers, especially the leg cuffs that were commonly used insteads of buckles. Elastic at the time was made from natural rubber. Without the American fleet to stop them, the Japanese quickly seized control of the vast proportion of the world's production of natural rubber when they took Malaya, Singapore, the Dutch East Indies and neigboring areas (1942). A reader here is not sure that World War II was the major factor in the fashion changes. "shortages may have had something to do with the decline of long stockings, but it doesn't explain why there seems to have been a brief revival of the style in the late 1930s in America."

Fashion trends

It may be primarily fashion, but I have a feeling the War Production Board may have been involved. Les material was needed or socks than long stockings and knickers required more material than shorts, although I am not sure about longs. This combined with the shortage of elastic may have been important. Actually many knickers in the late 30s and early 40s were made with elaticised leg hems rather thn buckles. I have never been able to find any write up on the WPB regulations on such matters. I think this is a subject that deserves some wider discussion. Perhaps our HBC readers will have some opinions worth recording.

Social conventions

A reader writes, "I have the feeling that after the war, the custom of dressing boys as children (in short pants or knickers) went out of style because of the new tendency to make children more equal to adults. Kids were allowed much more freedom after WW II in middle class homes in the United States and the supervision was much less strict than it had been. Kids were allowed to wear long pants much earlier, and peer pressure became a bigger factor in the selection of boys' clothes. I recall that when I was stationed in Germany in 1945, many teenagers wore short pants (either with knee socks or long stockings) and that some of these German boys were amazed that the children of American soldiers (roughly the same age as they) were allowed to wear long trousers so early. American parents were considered at that time to be much more permissive than German parents. So I think that changing attitudes about child-rearing may have had something to do with the sudden disappearance of knickers, long stockings, short pants, etc, in the United States about 1945."

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Created: 8:24 PM 3/12/2006
Last updated: 8:24 PM 3/12/2006