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American boys in the early 1950s still wore shorts, although much younger boys than in Europe. But short ants were rapidly going out of fashion and most boys pestered their parents if not inisted on long pants. Television was a good indicator here. There were early TV shows wear boy actors wore short pants. By the mid-1950s, however, child actors never appeared in short pants for their screen roles. The younger boys wearing shorts continued to wear shorter cut shorts, while knee-length shorts were considered more appropriate for older boys. Shorts were, however, beginning to become regarded as summer wear. Some boys would wear shorts even when it was chilly enough for a sweater. Older boys, however, increasingly wanted long pants, especially during the winter and most parents acquiesed. Many styles of short pants were no longer available in larger sizes. Summer shorts were available in
larger sizes up to 12 or 13 years. Around mid-decade in fact, short pants known as Bermudas began to appear on U.S. college campuses in the spring. They were available in chinos, searsucker, Madras and othe fabrics. The popularity of shorts as leisure wear had begun. A new fashion appeared for little boys at mid decade. The shorts worn by younger boys were still often
suspender shorts. This was especially true of dress shots, such as the ones worn with Eton suits.
We are not sure yet of how World War II affected fashion trends in America. We note that many servicemen, especially those involved in the Pacific War and in the fighting in Burma wore shorts. Not as extensively as the British, but it was common. As many veterans used the GI Bill to go to college, this may have been a factorin the developing popularity of Bermuda shorts on college campuses. World War II was the first time we have noted American men wearing short pants to any extent. We suspect, however, that the more important impact was on child raising approaches. Many women were involved in the war effort, including mothers working in war plants. It is less clear to us the impact of military service on men. What we do know is that the Baby Boom parents after the War took a much more permisive approach to child raising. This meant that children had much more say in their lives than ever before and this included their clothes. For the most part American boys wanted long pants and got them.
American boys in the early 1950s still wore shorts, although much younger boys than in Europe. But short pants were rapidly going out of fashion, especially for dressing up, and most boys pestered their parents if not inisted on long pants. We see few A,erican boys, for example, wearing short pants to school in the 1950s. At the same time, shors were beginning to be seen as Summer play or casualwear. This was particular the case in warmer areas like California and the South.
Short pants were more common in some areas such as the South and California where the climate was warm. They were less common in the Hearland such as the Midwest. We note one Illinois boy who wore Bermuda shorts in 1955 as a teenager and described this as a bit experimental.
Short pnts were also
more common for boys from affluent families, especially if they went to private school.
More affluent boys would often have a short pants suit for dress occasions,
but rarely for boys over 11 or 12.
Older boys did generally not wear short pants, especially when dressing up. Ever for casual wear it was not common for olderboys to wear shorts. American boys by the 1950s were wearing jeans for play and any where that they were allowed to wear them. Young adults in college, however, began to wear Bermuda shorts as casual summer wear. This trend filtred down to teenage boys in the 1960s.
The media, especially television, was a good indicator here. There were early TV shows wear boy actors wore short pants. By the mid-1950s, however, child actors never appeared in short pants for their TV roles. Movies were a little different, but the sme general trends prevailed.
The younger boys wearing shorts continued to wear shorter cut shorts, while knee-length shorts were considered more appropriate for older boys.
Shorts were, however, beginning to become regarded as summer wear. Some boys would wear shorts even when it was chilly enough for a sweater. Older boys, however, increasingly wanted long pants, especially during the winter and most parents acquiesed. Many mothers had always been concerned about exposing their children's knees to cold weather. Few mothers in the 1950s seemed to have been concerned about their girls' knees, most of whom went to school in the winter during the 1950s wearing kneesocks.
Many styles of short pants were no longer available in larger sizes. Summer shorts were available in larger sizes up to 12 or 13 years.
Around mid-decade in fact, short pants known as Bermudas began to appear on U.S. college campuses in the spring. They were available in chinos, searsucker, Madras and othe fabrics. The popularity of shorts as leisure wear had begun. Bermudas were designed as casul wear for the ummer, not a style specifically for children.
Amrican boys began extensively weaing shorts as casul summer wear in the 1940s. Some boys had short pants suits for dressing up, but by the 1950s this was increasingly younger boys. Especially the late 1950s, shorts had become primarily summer casual wear.
There were several style of short pants worn by American boys in the 1950s. The popularity of these diffrent styles varied substantially during the decade.
Some shorts worn by younger boys were suspender shorts, but they were much less common than in the 1940s. This was especially true of dress shots, such as the ones worn with Eton suits. Shorts with suspenders of the same material as the the shorts were still worn. The suspenders were attached to the shorts or buttoned on. These were generally dressier shorts rather than the ones for play. They became less common during the decade, probably because dressy shorts were less commonly worn. A HBC reader writes, "I don't think that suspender shorts were very common in America during the 1950s. I've looked at a lot of school pictures and family snapshots on the web, and the last examples of suspender shorts worn as an item of daily wear by a boy above toddlerhood was
in the late 40s in a first or second grade class in Florida. I didn't wear them beyond the age of 2, and my New Jersey cousins last wore them at 3 or 4 when gussied up for a Christmas photo. Clearly they had become a nostalgia item that mother inflicted on boys too young to object when they wanted to make them look precious. The fact that Dennis the Menace's friend Joey wore them was an anachronism that more reflected 40s styles than 50s styles, much the same as Dennis' overalls."
One special styles of short pants for younger boys was button-on. The button-on shorts still popular in the 1940s were generally phased out by mid-decade.
Some shorts came with a belt made as the same material as the shorts. This was a very popular style in the 1940s as is a good indicator to help date images. They were still made in the 1950s. My mother bought me two pairs in 1955 for camp when I was 12.
Many boys especially in the South wore boxer shorts. These were inexpensive shorts cut relatively briefly made in a variety of colors. They had an elastic waist and were made without flys. Some had pockets, but many did not.
One style that we do not see in America is the brief-cut continental-style short pants that were so popular in Europe after World War II. The style eventually spread to Britain and Japan, but not to America.
HBC has been developing the catalog section to help archive details showing chronological trends in different countries. Catalogs and other clothing advertisements offer a great deal of information about the clothing styles, including short pants, worn by American boys in the 1950s.
The 1940s-50s: Sneakers and jeans
The 1950s: Beaver Goes Shopping
The 1950s: Jeans, Jeans, Jeans
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