Figure 1.--No information is avaiable on this school photograph. All we know is that it is English. The masks suggest in twas taken in 2020. The boys look like the junior boys at pivate secondary day school. Apparently short or long troysers were optionl. As is usually the case, most boys or their parents chose long pants, but one boy is wearing shorts. The boys look to be about 13-years old.

Trousers, the term for what the Americans call pants, has been an issue at many schools. . Many prep schools and state alimentary schools have required short trousers as did some secondary schools--but usually just for the junior boys. Some schools allowed boys wearing shorts to wear open necked shirts while boys wearing long trousers had to wear ties. Many private schools required the boys to wear short trousers. This was especially the case with the preparatory schools. It was also the case at many state primaries, some of which adopted uniforms. Short trousers were standard for boys into the 1950s, but this began to change (1960s). And we see increasing numbers of boys wearing long trousers by the 1970s. Many schools adopted other uniform regulations. Many secondary schools also required the younger boys to wear short trousers. The rules varied from school to school. It was usually done by age, but height or form was sometimes the ways the rules were structured. Some schools allowed the boys/parents to decide. Only when this option was employed the boys all usually soon began wearing long trousers. Some schools insisted on very specific colors and brand of school wear while other schools were willing to accept considerable differences in shade and material. Purchased from school outfitters there was uniformity, but items like grey shorts and knee socks could be purchase at lower prices in general clothing stores leading to variations in shades.

Created: 12:48 AM 8/26/2025
Last updated: 12:48 AM 8/26/2025