Figure 1.--This German ad, probably from the 1970s, shows both a boy and girl wearing in this case identically styled lederhosen--although different colors. Note the ginham shirts the children are wearing.
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Figure 1.--This German ad, probably from the 1970s, shows both a boy and girl wearing in this case identically styled lederhosen--although different colors. Note the ginham shirts the children are wearing. |
Lederhosen have always been considered male garb. HBC notes that in the 1970s, lederhosen were also made for girls. Girls in the early 20th century and especially during the NAZI era always wore dresses. They never would have worn anything but dresses at folk events. HBC had noted German clothing advertisements in the 1970s with girls wearing lederhosen. Some of the girls' lederhosen were indistinguishable from the boys' lederhosen, others had distince styling for girls--such as the alter being made in a hear motif. These girls' lederhosen were only worn by little girls.
Lederhosen were not initially, nor have they ever been an exclusively boys' garment. As lederhosen began to be commonly worn by German youth groups, however, they began to be very commonly worn by boys in Bavaria. I have few details on when boys began wearing them, but believe it was the 1920s. As short pants for boys had become common by the 1920s, the lederhosen for boys were mostly the short pants version. Some boys did wear the knickers version, but I think this might have been considered more of a formal version. HBC still has incomplete information on lederhosen as boys wear. Younger boys do not appear to have commonly worn lederhosen in Germany until after World War II. Clothing advertisements suggest that by the 1960s they had become a popular boys' style. They were often worn with ginham or plaid-like shirts. Some short pants were made with lederhosen styling in other materials.
Leerhosen have always been considere primarily male garb. HBC notes that in the 1970s, lederhosen were also made for girls. Girls in the early 20th century and especially during the NAZI era always wore dresses. They never would have worn anything but dresses at folk events. HBC had noted German clothing advertisements in the 1970s with girls wearing lederhosen. Some of the girls' lederhosen were indistinguishable from the boys' lederhosen, others had distince styling for girls--such as the alter being made in a hear motif. These girls' lederhosen were only worn by little girls.
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