Figure 1.--This AZO postcard back portrait shows three children who looks to be about 4-10 years old. They are presumably siblings. They all wear long stockings and high-top shoes. Little sis sports a complicated tied hair bow. Her younger brother wears a collar-buttoning corduroy jacket we think with knickers. They could be knee pants. Their older brother wears a single-breasted lapel jacket with knickers. The portrait is undated, but looks to us like the early-20s. The AZO stamp box had four squares meaning that the portrait could be as early as 1923. The children are Bob, Paul, and Naomi.

More of our information on Canada is from the 20th century. Available images show boys wearing a variety of suits with both knee pants and knickers in the 20th century. We notice single- and double-breasted, collar-buttoning, and Norfolk jackets in the early-20th century. After World War I we also notice short pant suits. Collar-buttoning jackets gradually webt out of style. We notice both American and English influences in Canada. Knicker suits were more common than in England and short pants suits more commn than in America. We notice knee pants, knickers, short pants, and long pants suits during the first half of the century. Knee pants were common at the beginning of the century. After World War I (1914-18), boys commonly wore knicker suits as was the case in America. We also see began wearing short pants suits with single and double breasted styling. This was less common than knickers. We are not sure about the social-class connotations. Or about the English/French language communities. Older boys through the 1930s commonly wore knicker suits. Some boys in the 1950s still wore knicker suits which we no longer see to any extent in America. By the 1960s there seems to have been little difference between Canadian and American suits. Boys as in America began to commonly wear long pants suits. Canada was affected by the same trends toward casual clothing which affected both America and England. As a result, suits were much less common in Canada by the 1970s. Boys increasingly were dressed in casual styles.

The 1900s

We notice Canadian boys wearing single- and double-breasted, collar-buttoning, and Norfolk jackets in the early-20th century. The Norfolk jacket was a popular choice, but there was no standard style. Some jackets had the vertical vents without the belt and others had the velt without the vertical vents. We see a lot of Eton collars with the suits, worn with and without floppy bows. The popularity of floppy bows with suits sees rather an American influence. The prevalence and size of the bows began to decline after the turn-of-the century, but they ere still quite common in th early-1900s. We notice knee pants, knickers, short pants, and long pants suits during the first half of the century. Knee pants were common at the beginning of the century as they had been in the 19th cebtury. Available images show Vanadian boys wearing mostly knee pants suits at the turn-of-the 20th century. American boys began wearing knickers anout 1908. We do not have enough Canadian images to know if the shift from knee pants to knickers took place at about the same time in Canada.

The 1910s

Canadian boys as in America shiftd from knee pants to knickers in the 1910s.

The 1920s

After World War I (1914-18) collar-buttoning jackets gradually webt out of style. We notice both American and English influences in Canada. We also notice mostly American-style knicker suits. The boys here we think in the 1920s are a good example (figure 1). We also see some English-style short pant suits. Knicker suits were more common than in England and short pants suits more commn than in America. Canadian boys boys in the 1920s commonly wore knicker suits as was the case in America where they continued to be almost universal. We also see began wearing short pants suits with single and double breasted styling. This was less common than knickers. We are not sure about the social-class connotations. Or about the English/French language communities.

The 1930s

Older boys through the 1930s still commonly wore knicker suits.

The 1950s

Some Canadian boys in the 1950s still wore knicker suits which we no longer see to any extent in America.

The 1960s

By the 1960s there seems to have been little difference between Canadian and American suits. Boys as in America began to commonly wear mostly long pants suits, especially the end of the decade.

The 1970s

Canada was affected by the same trends toward casual clothing which affected both America and England. As a result, suits were much less common in Canada by the 1970s. Boys increasingly were dressed in casual styles.

Created: 9:34 AM 10/2/2016
Last updated: 5:39 PM 2/28/2018