Figure 1.--Dutch boys in the 1950s were wearing shorts sets with self belts, belts made in the same material as the shorts. Tweka was a brand name fo a clothing manufacturer. Click on the image for further details.

Dutch boys like other European boys generally wore knee pants in the late 19th century. After the turn of the 19th century, short pants became increasingly common for younger boys and knickers for older boys. Various styles of shorts have been worn, includng button-on styles and suspener shorts. Some Dutch boys wore lederhosen as was popular in neihboring Germany, ut it was not very common. In the country long pants were still quite common for everyday wear. Shorts continued to be commonly worn in the 1950s, but by the 1960s, long pants were becoming much more important.

Chronolgies

Dutch boys like other European boys generally wore kneepants in the late 19th century. After the turn of the 19th century, short pants became increasingly common for younger boys and knickers for older boys. Various styles of shorts have been worn, includng button-on styles and suspener shorts. Some Dutch boy wore lederhosen as was popular in neihboring Germany, but it was not very common. In the country long pants were still quite common for everyday wear. Shorts continued to be commonly worn in the 1950s, but by the 1960s, long pants were becoming much more important.

Types

Dutch boys have worn the same types of pants as boys in other European countries. Trends seem very similar to Germany, exceopt Dutch boys did not wear Lederhosen. There also seems to be an English influence in available images. Short pants were very common in the early 20th century, but by the 1960s an increasing number of Dutch boys were wearing long pants.

Kneepants

Dutch boys in the late 19th century might wear kneepants, even relatively old boys. Here our information is limited because we have a very small archive of 19th cetury images. One unidentified family portrait does suggest that knee pants were worn in the 1870s.

Short pants

The Dutch term for short trousers is "korte broek". Above the knee short pants appeard after the turn of the 20th century and became increasingly common in the 1910s. The major influence here was the English. Dutch boys have worn many different types of shorts. Younger boys might wear button-on styles. Many boys wore suspedner shorts. Some Dutch boy wore lederhosen as was popular in neighboring Germany, but this was not very common.

Knickers

Long pants

The Dutch term for long trousers is "lange broek". Short pants were very common in the early 20th century. For a time long pants were mostly worn by older boys. By the 1960s an increasing number of Dutch boys, including younger boys, were wearing long pants.

Suspension

A nececesary elements associated with pants and trousrs is of course suspension, how the pants are held up. This is an especially difficult question for younger boys who do not yet have defined waists. There are various approaches to trouser suspension. The most commn are button-on clothing, suspenders (braces), suspender pants, and belts. Suspender stykles wereespecilly popular for short pants, probably because most younger boys wore shorts. We also notice self-belted shorts. The poplarity of these different approaches have varied over time and of course age is a factor. Dutch trends seen close to German trends concerning suspension. One difference is that suspender pnts less commonly used the H-bar approach. Some of these approaches such as suspender pants wee also used for girls' skirts. We notice girls commonly wearing suspender skirts.

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Created: February 18, 2001
Last updated: 5:45 PM 1/1/2009