Figure 1.-- This Greek boynwas photigraphed in 1929. He wars a short pamys suit, but the shoryts were cut like kneepants. By this time we had begun to see boys wearing hoter cut shots. The jacket is single breasted with natched vest. He has a Shiller collar. We are not sure if he is wearing knee socks or long stockings. He looks to be about 11 years old. Itblooks to us like his hime in the background, suggeting a well-to-do family.

Greece at the time that modern trousers were evolving was controlled by the Ottoman Turks who heavily influenced fashions. Greek independence was secured at about the same time that long pasnts wre replacing knee breeches (1820s). Europan style took hold in the cities, but traditional fashions persisted in the countryside hr the bulk of the popultion lived. We very few 19th century images at this time, so we arev not sure sbout the pants boys wore wih suits. We assume it was long pants in the first half of the centuty and then a mix of knee pants and long pants during the second half of the century. We have some information about 20h century suit pants, but our Greek arvhive is still limited. We note short, knee, knicker, and long pants. Short pants suits were very common in the first half of the 20th century. As in other Euopean countries, knee pants were mostly worn in the early-20th century. After Wotld War II we see the trnsition to short pants which were often like knee pAnts rther long. We see shorter lengths by the 1930s. Short pants became standard for boys. Shorts continud to be standard in Greece until well after World War II thriugh the 1950s. Most boys wore short pants suits into their teens. Some older boys wore knicker suits until after World War II, but unlike America knickers suits were not very common. The prevalence of short pants persisted into the 1960s. Here climate was surely a factor, making shorts a suitable garment for much of the year as opposed to the colder more northerly climates in other European countries. Greek boys still wear shorts, but now mostly as casual wear in the summer. At he sme time tht long pants werebecoming more common, suits were being worm much less hjanwas yhe cas eatlier. `

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Created: 4:02 AM 1/28/2022
Last updated: 2:34 PM 3/16/2022