Figure 1.--This wonderfully nostalgic sceen from small town America, probably about 1915-1920. Notice the large houses with porches facing a tree-lined street. A brother and sister are sitting in a swing on their front porch. The boys wears a smart doubke-breasted knickers suit, his sister an elegant white dress. Both wear long dark stockings. The boys looks to be a younger teenager, perhaps 13-14 years old. Notice the knickers are rather baggy and there is no crease. His hair looks rather stylized for the 1910s. He is also appears to be wearing gloves--even though it is not a cold day.

HBC begins to notice knickers in America during the 1870s, but they did not become popular as a boys' garment until after the turn of the 20th century. Even through the 1900s kneepants were more common than knickers. American boys did not begin to wear knickers extensively until the 1910s. By the 1910s, however, knickers were beginning to replace knee pants. Knickers soon became the major attire worn in America. School-age boys in America between the two world wars wore knicker suits. Knickers were the dominate trousers for American boys in the 1920s and 30s. Unlike Europe where short pants were more common, Americam boys wore knickers--even Boy and Cub Scouts wore them. Through the early 1920s they were mostly worn with ling stockings, but by the mid-1920s, knee socks had become more popular. The age of boys wearing knickers varied substantially over time. Although knickers had once been pervasive for boys, they declined in popularity very quickly in the early 1940s. It is unclear to HBC just why this major fashion shift occurred so abruptly.

The 19th Century

American boys began wearing short-cut pants in the 1850s, but as far as we can tell the number was very small and only the youngest boys wire them after breeching. We have not fiund images of biys wearing jnickers in the 1850s, although we suspect that there were probably some. It was not until the 1860s that shortened-length pants began to show up significantly in the phitograohic record, although long pants were still more common. HBC begins to notice knickers in America during the 1860s, thanks to the explosion of CDV portaits. Knickers were less common than knee pants, especially after the 1860s. Shortened-length pants at first were a style for affluent, fashion concious mothers, especially in the northeastern cities most infuenced by European fashion. While we see some knickers in the 1860s, we see many more boys wearing knee pants than knickers in the late-19th century. The cut of the knickers varied widely in the 1860s some were cut very full and long. This may have been the Civil War Zouave influence. We no longer see these full-cut knickers by the 1870s. It was knee pants that became standard boys' wear by the 1880s. Knickers at the time were widely worn by British and other European boys, but they were less common in America where the knee pants style predominated. We see that in both the photographic record and the mail order catalogs that became popular in the late-19th century. Knee pants had become standard boys wear by the 1880s, but they were less common in rural areas and to a lesser fegree anong older working-class boys. But this almost always meant knee pants and not knickers in America during the 19th century. Both knee pants and knickers were almost always worn with long stockings unless the boy was going barefoot.

The 20th Century

Knickers appeared in the mid-19th century, but were not very common in America until the 20th century. It was knee panrs that were mostly worn in America. And this continued after the turn-of-the 20th century into the 1900s decade. Then suddenly about 1908 we suddenly see knickers. We have no idea why. In just a year or two we see American boys mostly wearing knickers. Knee pants which American boys had worn vfor decades, suddemnly went out of style. Instraad boys wore knickers. And kniclers were the dominant form of pants American boys wore in the 1010s and 20s. Theu were also very common in tghe 1930s but beghan to decline in popularity. We still see knickers in the 1940s, but they were becoming increasingly less common. The cut of kniclers varies over time. We see baggy plus-fous in the 1020s. Knee oants tended to be more trimly cut which is why they were called straight-leg knee oants , contrastinhg them with knickers. Unlike Europe where short pants were more common, Americam boys wore knickers--even Boy and Cub Scouts wore them. Through the early 1920s they were mostly worn with long stockings, but by the mid-1920s, kneesocks had become more popular. The age of boys wearing knickers varied substantially over time. Although knickers had once been pervasive for boys, they declined in popularity very quickly in the early-1940s. It is unclear to HBC just why this major fashion shift occurred so abruptly. Knickers passed from the boys' fashion scene aburptly in the early-1940s, apparently a casualty of the War. The popularity of knickers were declining even before the War, but essentially disappered during the War.

Created: November 26, 2001
Last updated: 9:59 PM 1/29/2021