Figure 1.--Here we see two unidentified boys in 1909. They look to be about 5 and 10 years old. The younger boy looks to be about 5 years old. He wears a broad-brimmed sailor cap and a striped tunic suit. Here we can't see his pants, but most boys wore these outfits with bloomer knickers. His older brithercwears a suit with strught-leg knee pants. Both boys wear black long stockings.

Age 5 was the last year before school which became common in the 19th century. This changed in the 20th centuryv as Lindergrten and nursery school gradually became more common. Boys at 5 years of age generally were breeched, but some were not ad wore dresses or after mid-century kilt suits. Boys who were breeched in the early 10th century might wear skeleton suits or tunic with long trousers. We begin to see various shortened-length pants at mid century, both bloomer knickers and straight-leg knee pants, but many boys at age 5-years of age wore long pahnts like the older boys. This was especially common in rural areas. Gradually knee pants became standard for younger boys and by the end of the century, older boys as well. Fauntleroy suits with knee pants were a popular style for 5-year olds. At the turn-of-the- 20th century, tunics worn with bloomer knickers were very popular for 5 year olds. Other boys this age wore knee pants. Older boys by the 1910s wore knickers, but knee pants continued to be popular for younger boys. After World War I we no longer commonly see boys wearing dresses. Many younger boys wore short pants. We see younger boys, epecially pre-school boys wearing short pants, but older boys, especially by about age 8 years more commonly wearing knickers. Boys at age 5 years commonly wore short pants, but by the 1950s many were wearing long pants even during the summer. We also see shortalls becomeing a popukar style for pre-schoolers , including 5 year olds. We see 5 year olds wearing short pants Eton suits when dressig up , but by the 1970s long pants were more common when dressing up. On the other hand, casual shorts became increasingly popular for boys of all ages during the summer for casual wear.

Created: 12:26 PM 6/12/2012
Last updated: 12:26 PM 6/12/2012