Figure 1.--We begin to see German children wearing patterned knee socks after world war II in the late-1940s. Here we see German children wearing patterened knee socks, we think in the mid-1950s. We see German children wearing many different patterns.

Short pants continued to be very common for German boys of all ages in the 1950s, especially the early-50s. This included teenagers, perhaps more older teenagers than was common before the War. A factor here was the economy. Germany was just beginning to recover from the War. Thus children's clothes were not a high porority in family budgets. Thrifty mothers had children wear clothes that they might have been see as growing out of. Thus they put off buying new clothes a little longer than usual. Many teenages preferred to wear shorts with knee socks, butvthis varied fron boy to boy. The group on the previous page is a good example. By mid-decade the German Economic Miracle had kicked in and family income was rapidly rising. Patterened knee socks for some reason became very poular after the World War II in the late-1940s and 50s (figure 1). We see both boys and girls wearing patterned knee icks, but think that they were most common with boys. We see a wide range of patterns. Not all boys wore patterned knee socks. We see plain-colored knee sicks as well. Knee socks and ankle socks steadily replaced long stockings during the dcades, especially during the late-1950s. Knee socks were more popular with older boys who objected to long stockings. Teenagers might wear knickers rather than shorts during the winter, but this was more common in the 30s anhd 40s. We see far fewer knickers in the 50s. Most German boys after the early-50s wore knee socks by the 1950s, even in the Winter. And by the end of the decade we see a lot of boys wearing ankle socks. By the end of the decade, short pants were beginning to become seasonal wear. And during the summer we see fewer knee socks and more ankle socks.

Prevalence

Short pants continued to be very common for German boys of all ages in the 1950s, especially the early-50s. This included teenagers, perhaps more older teenagers than was common before the War. A factor here was the economy. Germany was just beginning to recover from the disaster of World War II and the collspse of the economy. Thus children's clothes were not a high porority in the family budgets. Thrifty mothers had children wear clothes that they might have been see as growing out of. Thus they put off buying new clothes a little longer than usual. Many teenages preferred to wear shorts with knee socks, but this varied fron boy to boy. By mid-decade the German Economic Miracle had kicked in and family income was rapidly rising.

Age Trends

Most primary age German boys wore shorts in yhe 1950s. We see more long pants as the dcade progressed, especially in the later part of the decade. And by the end of the dcade we see fewer teenagers wearing shorts. The group on the previous page is a good example. By the end of the decde wecsee most older teens wearing long pants. American jeans were becomiong very popular. We still see younger teens wearing knee socks in the 1950s, but it was becoming less common by the end of the decade. We note German brothers about 8-13 yeas old wearing knee socks.

Colors and Patterns

We are not sure about the colors of knee socks German boys worn in the 1950s. The black and white photography provides few clues. Some boys wore knee socks done in solid or flat colors. We see mosly light shades which would probably have been in various shades of tan or grey. We do see some dark knee socks which would be black or navy blue, but they were not nearly as common as the lighter shades. We also see white knee socks, but they seem to be primarily for dressy occassions like First Communions. These dressy outfits tended to decline notibly after the 50s. This was in part because we see fewer boys dressing up and wearing suits as they had done previously. And by he60s we begin to see more long pnhts uits. Patterened knee socks for some reason became very poular after the World War II in the late-1940s and 50s (figure 1). We rarely see ghem before the War, but they are quite cmmon after the War. We see both boys and girls wearing patterned knee socks, but we think that they were most common with boys. We see a wide range of patterns. Not all boys wore patterned knee socks. We see plain-colored knee socks as well.

Long Stockings

Knee socks and ankle socks steadily replaced long stockings during the decades, especially during the late-1950s. Long stocks were commonly worn by German childrem during the 1940s, both boys and girls. The were standard winterwear for German children. We still see long stockings in the early-50s, but much less so by the end of the decade. Knee socks were more popular with older boys who objected to long stockings. Teenagers might wear knickers rather than shorts during the winter, but this was more common in the 30s anhd 40s. We see far fewer knickers in the 50s.

Seasonslity

Teenagers might wear knickers rather than shorts during the winter. Most German boys after the early-50s wore knee socks by the 1950s, even in the Winter. And by the end of the decade we see a lot of boys wearing ankle socks. By the end of the decade, shirt pants were beginning to become seasonal wear. And during the summer we see fewer knee socks and more ankle socks.