Figure 1.--This is Carol Nugent and Nick Adams with their children, Allyson Lee and Jeb Stuart Adams (1961- ) in 1965. Nick Adams was an American film and television actor and screenwriter. He was noted for his roles in several Hollywood films during the 1950s and 1960s. He was best known fo his his starring role in the ABC television series 'The Rebel' (1959)--which probably explains he name of his om. Adams died from a prescription drug overdose. His son Jeb here wears a classic pair of shortalls. Notice the Peter Pan collar blouse hich give it a dressy look. He looks to be about 3 years old. He also did some acting.

Another popular style of short pants was shortalls. They appeared in the 1950s, but with some ealier antecedents. Shortalls are a one-piece short pants garmet worn by small boys in the 1950s-70s. It was based on the word overalls (the original name for jeans), but with short rather than long pants. Levi Straus came out with a version of its jeans for children in the 1920s. The shortalls appearing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, however, were not made of denim and disd not have bib fronts. I have no information about who first made shortalls or when they first appeatred, but it does appear to have been the early 1950s. Shortalls were popularized by President Kennedy's son John when he was dressed in them during the early-1960s. We see shortalls in Europe as well, but they were primarily popular in America They are almost a specificaly an American style given the popularity in America during the 1950s and 60s. Most of the photographs and catalog pages we have found are American. We first se what look like shortalls in the 1920s, but they wer not yet called shortalls. Lane Bryant uses the term 'suspender pants' in their 1927 catalog. They offerd several different styles. Shortalls were a very popular style in America from the late-1950s into the 70s. We still see quite a few in the 1970s, but they gradually wnt out of style disappeared as bib-front shorts became more standard. A major differentce was that bib-front shorts did not have the material back like shortalls. An importance difference was that shortalls were both a play garment and a dressy garment for younger boys. This was not the case for bib-front shorts. which were almost exclusively a play garment. Shortalls have never totally disappeard, but have come to be worn mostly by very young boys. We not only see shortalls offered in clothing catalogs, but photographs of boys actually wearing them. They were mostly worn by pre-school boys, but some younger primary boys also wore them. We have not developed much information for an America page because most of the information on the main shortalls page is really about shortalls in America.

Construction

Another popular style of short pants was shortalls. They appear to have developd from the overalls that boys began earing in the early-20th century. The shortalls that appearing in the 1920s, but only became popular in the late-1950s and early-60s, however, were not made of denim and did not have bib fronts. Shortalls were destinctive. in that there there were front and back pannels joined at the shoulders with only a open area for the head. One side often had a shoulder button to fasten the front and back pannel together. A major differentce was that bib-front shorts did not have the material back like shortalls. The bib only covered the front, not the back. The back only had crossed straps. Shortalls in contrast had a fabric back just like the front. They different somewhat in that some shortalls have fronts that look more like bib-front shorts than shortalls many modern shortalls are done more like bib-front shorts. But porper shortalls had a solid pannel of material that went over the shouders and not straps. The shoulder connections varied sonmehat. Some were more narrow than others, giving somewht the look of straps.

Usage

An importance difference was that shortalls were both a play garment and a dressy garment for younger boys. This was not the case for bib-front shorts which were and continue to be almost exclusively a play garment. This is perhaps because they look rather like overalls wSjhotalls in ciontrast did not have that look of a bif-front garmih their image as a work garment. In addition mother often added dressy garments like an Eton or Peter Pan collar blouse. or a dress white shirt. Durng the summer for play, shortalls might be worn with out a shirt.

Terminology

The name shortall was based on the word overalls (the original name for jeans), but with short rather than long pants and a back pannel to go along with the bib-front. Levi Straus came out with a version of its jeans for children in the 1920s. We see garments that look somewhat kike shortalls in the 1920s, but they wre called creepers and overalls. The 1927 Lane Bryant catalog is a good example. We also see 'suspender pants' being used. Soon after we begin to see shortalls. We are not yet sure wheb the term shortalls were first used.

Chronology

What we knw as shortalls becme popult in the 1950s, but with some ealier antecedents. We have no information yet about who first made shortalls or when they first appeatred, but it does appear to have been the early 1950s. Shortalls were popularized by President Kennedy's son John when he was dressed in them during the early-1960s. We notice some commentatiors referrung to them as Jon-Jons. We first see what look like shortalls in th 1920s, but they wer not yet called shortalls. Lane Bryant uses the term 'suspender pants' in their 1927 catalog. They offerd several different styles. Shortalls were a very popular style in Ameica from the 1940s into the 70s. We still see quite a few in the 1970s, but they gradually disappeared as bib-front shorts became more standard.

Countries

We see shortalls in Europe as well, but they were primarily popular in America They are almost a specificaly an American style given the popularity in America during the 1950s and 60s. Most of the photographs and catalog pages we have found are American. We have not developed much information for a general shortalls page because most of the information we have found is American. Thus the general page and the American page are largely identical.

Ages

Shortalls are a one-piece short pants garment worn by small boys in the 1960s-70s. We not only see shortalls offered in clothing catalogs, but photographs of boys actually wearing them. They were mostly worn by pre-school boys, but some younger primary boys also wore them. They were mostly on by pre-school boys, meaning boys up to 6-years old. We note sone boys weating them up to 7-years old. But the vast majority of images we have seen show pre-chool boys weating them. We have not sem them bring irn to school, except Kinfrgarten. Shortalls have never totally disappeard, but have come to be worn mostly by very young boys. We see ctalog/internt fferings in the 21st centyry only up to size 3 years.

Created: 3:29 AM 4/19/2016
Last updated: 5:12 PM 1/16/2019