Figure 1.--Knickers becane standard for boys in the 1910 at a park. We see younger boys still wearing knee pants outfits. Here we see two toddlers wearing button-on Oliver Twist suits with knee pants in the 1910s. They look to be about 3 years old, but do not seem to be brothers. Notice how long the pants are both with and without the buttons at the knee hem.

Most American boys in the 1910s wore knickers rather than knee pants. We still see some knee pants suits, especially in the early 1910s. For the most part, however, most American boys wore knickers by the 1910s. We are not sure why the sharp shift from knee pants to knickers occurred in the late-1900s and early 1910s. It was very rapid and very comprehensive. Surprisingly it did not occur in other countries, except for Canada. We see European boys wearing knee pants suits into the 1930s. It is not clear why this only occurred in America and Canada. While knickers became the dominant pants type for boys in the 1910s, they were not the exclusive type worn. Knee pants did not immediately disappear. We see younger boys still wearing knee pants. Knickers were worn by a wide range of ages, but knee pants very rapidly became worn by only younger boys. This was not the case in the 1900s, but itwas by the 1910s. There were a lot of juvenile outfits like Oliver Twist suits made with knee pants for little boys. While knickers were the dominant type of pants during the 1910s, an exception here was boys in rural areas who by the 1910s were commonly wearing overalls. Younger boys commonly wore bluses with knee pants as well as knee pants suits of various types. This included both jacket suits as well as more informal suits that had shirt-like tops. A good example of a jacketed suit is the one worn by Floyd Van Horne. He wears a knee pants Norfolk suit about 1915. Black long stoickings cotinued to be the dominant form of hosiery for the older boys, but yonger boys often wore white socks or stockings.

Pervasiveness

Most American boys in the 1910s wore knickers rather than knee pants. We still see some knee pants suits, especially in the early 1910s. But in fact by the early-1910s most older boys. The micyture we see in the late-1900s is much less pronounced in the warly-1910s. For the most part, American boys wore knickers during the 1910s. For the first time since the 1860s we begin to see knee pants being replaced as a major tyoe of trousrs for boys.

Fashion Shift

We are not sure why the sharp shift from knee pants to knickers occurred in the late-1900s and early 1910s. It was very rapid and very comprehensive. Fashion is a fickle creature. Sometimes fashions creations can be explained. Sometimes we can even identify who created new fashions. In this case we have no idea why allm of a sudden knickers became so popular in America. Perhaps some fashion house or writer began pushing them. We doubt if American boys ontheir own suddently began demanding knickers.

Europe

Surprisingly this shift to knickers innAmerica did not occur in other countries, except for Canada. We see European boys wearing knee pants suits into the 1930s. It is not clear why this only occurred in America and Canada.

Outfits

While knickers became the dominant pants type for boys in the 1910s, they were not the exclusive type of trousers worn. Knee pants did not immediately disappear. Younger boys commonly wore blouses with knee pants as well as knee pants suits of various types. This included some jacket suits, but more commonly, informal suits that had shirt-like tops. A good example of a jacketed suit is the one worn by Floyd Van Horne. He wears a knee pants Norfolk suit about 1915. Standard suits done with knee pants during the 1910s are very rate in the American photographic record. Virtually all the standard suits we see are knicker suits. Juvenile suits were a different matter. We note a wide range of juvenile outfits for boys done mostly with knee pants. The styling was quite diverse. Oliver Twist suits were especially popular. Most were done in button-on styling. Sailor suits were also very popular, also often done with button-on styling.. We see some juvenile knicker outfits, but for the yonger boys, knee pants were much more common. Tunics like the ones worn in the 190sds were still popular in the 1910s. They were mostly worn with bloomer knickers, but we also see some worn with straight leg knee pants. This was mostly in the 1910s.

Ages

We primarily see younger boys still wearing knee pants. Knickers were worn by boys of a wide range of ages, but knee pants very rapidly in the 1910s became worn by only younger boys. This was not the case in the 1900s when older boys still, wore knee pants, but it was by the 1910s. There were a lot of juvenile outfits like Oliver Twist suits made with knee pants for little boys. They were mostly done with button-on styling. The outfits worn by the boys here are a good example (figure 1). Thy look to be about 3 years old. There were a wide range of styling for these outfits. Sailor suits varied a bit, we see them nneing dome with both knee pants and knickers. The age ranges were primarily the toddler, pre school years, but we a few boys in the early primary years weraing them. At school outfits varied, but before the children begin 1st gradel, usually at about age 6 years, we see most younger boys still wearing knee pants rather than knickers. There were some pre-schools and kindergartens, but they were mmuch less common than today. Many of the images we have do not undicate the ages. We can not precisely assess the ages, but we are able to roughly estimate the ages to get a good basic idea. WEe inviter readers to comment if they disagree about our age estimates.

School Trends

American school children in the 1910s dressed differently depending on where they went to school. We still see a lot of rural one-room schools. Rural children commonly wore dungares to school and webnt barefoot. This was especially true of the South which was the poorest part of the country. Boys in the North were more likely to dress up, at least for the school photograph. We see youngr boys in the early 1910s still wearing blouses with wide collars. Kneepants were common and when the boys were not barefoot commonly worn with dark long stockings. Many boys not wearing overalls wore suspenders. Boys in the cities dressed differently most wore shoes to school and overalls were not common. Many boys wore suits to school. Kneepants were common, but we also see boys wearing knickers. Some boys wore ties, but mostly in city schools. We see some boys wearing sailor suits, but not very many. We do notice girls wearing sailor dresses. Some boys wear coveralls, but they were not very common. They were especially rare in rural schools. Many boys wear flat caps, but we also see beanies. We note Catholic boys dressed up in suits for First Cmmunion.

Rural Areas

While knickers were the dominant type of pants during the 1910s, an exception here was boys in rural areas who by the 1910s were commonly wearing overalls. Strangely while overalls appeared in the mid-19th century, we do not see boys wearing them to any extent until the late-1900s. They were very common in the 1910s. This time-line can be followed very clearly in the school portraits of the time. Overalls were, gowever, only made with long pants. We do not see knee pants overalls.

Hosiery

Black long stoickings cotinued to be the dominant form of hosiery for the older boys, but yonger boys often wore white socks or stockings. We also see younger boys wearingthree-quarter sicks, commonly white socks. Some summer outdits were with sandals without socks

Created: 8:24 PM 1/30/2009
Last updated: 3:20 AM 12/30/2010