Figure 1.--This tyin-type portrait shows an unidentified boy who looks go be about 7 years old. He wears ailled collar and small boe with a striped button-on suit. It looks like a long pants suit that he has grown out of. It is not, however, a long pants suit. It look like a brand new suit. The length of the pants shows the growing influence of shortened-pants suits. In this case theyv asre not shortened very much, but they are shortened. Also notice the white stockings. The portraot is undted, but looks like the late-1860s to us.

We notice both long pants, knee pants and bloomer knickers in the 19th century. In the 19th century we see a lot of long pants suits because long pants were still common for even younger boys at the time that these suits were most popular. This was at mid-centyury and into the 1870s. Shortened-length pants were an innovation at mid-century, but at first only for younger boys and boys part of well-to-do families in fashionasble cities. . Whatever the styles were for boys up to about 8-years of age. We see slightly older boys, but gthey were less common. Bloomer knickers and long pangts seem the most common common. The bloomer knickers varied substantially. Some were very trim fitting. And others were extrodonarily voluminous and baggy. We have no idea about the terms used to describe the various pants at mid-century. After the turn-of-the 20th century, short pants begin to become more common. We see short pants in the 20th century instead of knee pants and knickers. The 20th century version were generally done for younger boys, mostly pre-school boys perhaos the youngest primary boys as well at least in the earliest years. And they were dress up and firmal styles for special occassions.

Created: 7:31 PM 7/3/2023
Last updated: 7:31 PM 7/3/2023