Figure 3.--This 1949 photograph shows two little Fench Canadian boys in Quebec City during the winter of 1949. Both boys wear berets, heavt coats, and short pants. The older boy wears kneesock while the younger boy wears long stockings. The photographer is Paul Driscoll.

Canadian boys fashions virtually merged with American styles in the post-war era. By the mid-50s there was virtually no difference with styles and trends in the northern United States. The same was true of hair styles. We note many photographs of Canadian boys that are indestinguishable from American boys. We note two French Canadian boys here wearing berets with coats nd shrt pants during the 1940s. We have noted younger American boys earing berets in the 930s and 40s like these boys. We are not sure if this as also common among English-speaking Canadian boys. We note quite a number of Canadian boys wearing knickers and long stockinfs in the 1940s. This was not unknown in the Unted States, but seems more common in Canada. We note boys in the 1950s nd 60s wearing patterened shirt, khaki slacks, and sneakers. One factor here was the importance of American media in setting fashions. Long pants became increaingly common after the end of World War II. Canadian conhtributors note that some boys still wore short pants and long stockings into the 1950s. Canadian boys also wore knickers in the early 1950s, although by the mid-50s they were no longer common. Some styles that look destinctly Canadian, such as Indian sweaters, are usually shared styles with the northern United States, especially the northern tier border states like Montanna, North Dakaota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Created: October 3, 2003
Last updated: October 3, 2003