Figure 1.--We thought the boy was wearing jodpours. Areader poins out that they were actualy riding breeches. This snapshot was taken near Buxton, Oregon during the 1930s. The wwo unidentified children were probably siblings. The children look to be about 8-12 years old. We suspect that they might live on a horse farm. Notice the farm cross the bridge and up the hill. It was from the the collection of Elsie Meyers.

Modern Jodhpurs are trousers which are made at the waist and upper thigh but become tight fitting below the knee and end in a snug cuff. They are primarily associated with horse riding and designed specifically for horse riding. There is reinforced fabric protecting the inner calf and knee from rubbing against the sides of the horse. As the the thighs and hips were flared, this allowed free movement of the hip and thigh. As the name suggests, hey are of Indian origins named after the state of Jodhpur. They were introduced in the West (1890s). Pratap Singh, a younger son of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, and avid polo player, Takht Singh modified a traditional style and had it tailored in India (about 1890). He wore them with tall riding boots. Sing came to England as part of the celebration for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (1897). He brought his entire polo team with him, duly outfitted the Jodhpurs he designed. he result was a fashion sensation in Britain. The Jodhpurs were adopted by the British as fashionable riding clothes and polo uniforms. Women began wearing them as they made the transition from riding sidesaddle and riding astride like men. One of the first high-profile women seen in Jodhpurs was fashion icon Coco Chanel. They quickly spread to America and other countries. We see some military figures wearing them in the inter-War and early-World War II period. A good example is Italian Blackshirt Italo Balbo. But more important they became worn by women and children involved in equestrian competitions. Girls for some reason have a special attraction to horses. But for the most part, only girls from affluent families that can afford to indulge girls in this activity. Some boys were involved and wore Jodhpurs, but mostly we see girls. A reader writes, "I think those are breeches rather than Jodhpurs. Per google,"jodhpurs and breeches are both tight-fitting riding pants, but jodhpurs are full-length, while breeches are shorter. They are both made from stretchy material and often have reinforced patches for grip." We think our reader is correct and we note riding breeches being offered in retail catalogs.

Created: 4:58 AM 1/17/2025
Last updated: 12:22 AM 1/22/2025