Figure 1.--The beret, cloak, short pants, and kneesocks were standard wear for French boys in the 1930s.

French school boys in the inter-war period commobly wore berets and school smocks. Boys at private schools some times wore cloaks rather than coats. Boys commonly wore short panys. Sailor suits were still popular, but by the 1930s for increasingly younger boys. Rompers appeared in the 1920s and became incrasingly popular in the 1930s. After the mid-1930s some dressy styles of rompers appeared for formal occassions. Some suits came with knickers as well as short pants. The knickers were often reserved for winter weather. Older boys might also wear knicksers. Kneesocks were common during the winter and for dresswear.

Caps and Berets

Boys like men still commonly wore hats or caps during the 1920s-40s. The most common head gear for French boys were berets. As common as they were during this period, they passed out of fashion for boys by the 1950s.

Smocks

Rompers

Rompers appeared in the 1920s and became incrasingly popular in the 1930s. After the mid-1930s some dressy styles of rompers appeared for formal occassions. Only boys wore rompers, girls always wore dresses, even for play.

Coats and Cloaks

Shirts

Suits

Formal short pants suits were worn with knee socks, but ankle socks were often worn on more casual occasions and were more common than in England.

Pants

Short pants and knickers were widely worn by French boys in the 1930. Shorts were worn for play, school (under smocks), and for dress occasions as short pants suits. Play clothes were most likely to be short pants. Courderoy shorts were very popular for play and for scouts. Shorts were commonly worn to school, but in many cases under black school smocks. Short pants suits were made for boys in sizes up to 16 years. Boys from 8 to 16 years of age might have a suit with both a pair of short pants and a pair of knickers. The knickers would often be reserved for cold weather winter wear, although many boys wore short pants all year round with kneesocks for warm in the winter. The estimates are based on the sizes produced.

Figure 2.--French boys in the 1930s might have suits with both shortpants and knickers. This 1936 ad offered short pants suits in sizes up to 16 years. Note the solid color kneesocks.

Short pants

Shorts were worn for play, school (under smocks), and for dress occasions as short pants suits. Play clothes were most likely to be short pants. Courderoy shorts were very popular for play and for scouts. Shorts were commonly worn to school, but in many cases under black school smocks. Short pants suits were made for boys in sizes up to 16 years. Boys from 8 to 16 years of age might have a suit with both a pair of short pants and a pair of knickers. The knickers would often be reserved for cold weather winter wear, although many boys wore short pants all year round with ankle socks during the summer and kneesocks for warmth during the winter. The estimates are based on the sizes advertized in newspapers and magazines. The sizes sold in the stores are areasonably accurte estimate of what boys actually wore. Fashion magazines sometimes show idealized fashions. Merchants who must cater to actual demand, on the other hand probably provide a good assessment of the actual situation. Actally you would have to add a couple years to the ages because most boys would wear a suit for at least two years after it was purchased. Thus a boy bought a short pants suit at age 16 might wear it until about 18 or when he finished secondary schools. Full details are not yet available on the age of the boys wearing short pants suits. A French contributor to HBC believes that many of the larger sizes were made for boys that were big for their age, not necesarily boys that were 15 and 16 years old. However some older boys in the 1920s and 30s did wear short pants in France.

Knickers

Knickers were primarily worn by older boys or for cold weather wear. They were more commonly worn in France than in England, but not as commonly as in America. They were commonly dress wear with a suit. Little boys would be unlikely to play in knickers. Older boys from 14 to 19 years might have a suit with a pair of knickers and a pair of longs. Boys of 19 might wear knickers until they were 21! They were popular in the 1920s and 30s, but rarely seen after the early 1940s.

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Created: October 30, 1998
Last updated: November 9, 2001