Figure 1.--The children here seem to be attending some sort of political event. The boy is wearing a shorts set. Notice the patten of the shorts are repeated on the collar of the shirt. Also notice the buttoned collar. This would have been seen as a way of dressing up a younger boy. The press caption read, "With LBJ in Kingston R.I.: Cynthia Quinn and brother, John, of Narragansett, R.I. watch president from vantage poinrs --knees of Chief Strongheart, a full blooded indin from R.I." The photograph is dated August 20, 1966.
Boys short pants continued to evolve in America. The number of boys dressed up in short pants suits continued to decline as did the age of the boys doing so. We note yonger boys wearing Eton suits when dressing up. As part of the ongoing shift toward informality, we see younger boys wearing short pants outfits for smart casual occasions whwre they may have worn suits earlier. This included shortalls and short sets. Short pants were still not very common for school wear except for the very youngest boys. Some schools even banned them. In primary schools, however, it was primarily resustance from the boys which mothers commonly did not understand. This can be followed in school portraits. There were distinct regional differences. Short pants were still worn away from school. In fact we actually see more boys wearing short pants in the 1960s. We see several different popular types, including camp shorts and jean cut-offs. Madras and plaid shorts were popular. The boy here is agood example (figure 1). Cut-offs were a curious inovation. We are not entirely sure why they were so popular, perhaps because they seemed to project the image of infornmalilty--not real shorts, but shorts cut down from jeans. We even see high school boys wearing shorts, although not to school. Bermuda shorts were also worn by college boys and many shorts avaialble for high schhol ages werre cur like bermudas. This was the case as they were becoming popular summer casual ear. As a result, short pants were more common in the South than in the North. Here the temperature was a factor, but also the larger numbers of months that it was warm. Shorts were increasingly seen as summer wear. And we see them commonly worn in summer camps, both Scout and regular camps, often by boys who did not commonly wear shorts. Some private summer camps still had uniforms. Shorts were epecially common in California. There were also demographic differences. Shorts were more common in he suburbs than the city and still more popular with more affluent families. We see more Boy Scouts wearing shorts but for some unknown reason, fewer Cubs. The fact that Scouts and not Cubs went to BSA summer camps may have been a factor. We no longer see many boys wearing knee socks with shorts. The major exceptions were younger boys wearing Eton suits and Boy Scouts. We still see boys wearing leather shoes and dark socks with shorts. This was the last decade this was common. Boys by the 70s were mostly wearing sneakers and white socks with shorts.
Suits
Boys short pants continued to evolve in America. The number of boys dressed up in short pants suits continued to decline as did the age of the boys doing so. We note yonger boys wearing Eton suits when dressing up. As part of the ongoing shift toward informality, we see younger boys wearing short pants outfits for smart casual occasions whwre they may have worn suits earlier.
Schoolwear
Short pants were still not very common for school wear except for the very youngest boys. Some schools even banned them. In primary schools, however, it was primarily resustance from the boys which mothers commonly did not understand. This can be followed in school portraits. School portaits of course only tell us what boys were wearing to school, not what they were tinking about their outfits. A 'Leave it to Beaver' episode from the late-1950s gives a good idea what boys thought about short pants at the time. The episode suggests firls also understood. We are not sure that was the case.
Regional Differences
There were distinct regional differences. As a result, short pants were more common in the South than in the North. Here the temperature was a factor, but also the larger numbers of months that it was warm. Shorts were increasingly seen as summer wear. And we see them commonly worn in summer camps, both Scout and regular camps, often by boys who did not commonly wear shorts. Some private summer camps still had uniforms. Shorts were epecially common in California.
Casual and Play Wear
Shortened-length pants, including knee pamts, knickers, as well as short pants were standard wear. Boys wore them for all occassions, including when dressing up, going to school, casual pccassion, and play. Gradually shorts began to be seen as more of a seasonal play/casual wear. The increasing popularity of sports were a factor here and the expolsive popularity of baskeball and and soccer in the 1960s was a major factor in the 60s. As a result, not only were short pants still worn away from school, we see many boys wearing shorts than in previous decades. In fact we actually see more school age boys wearing short pants in the 1960s than ever before. They were no longer limited especilly to pre-school boys.
Color and Patterns
Younger boys shorts might be bright colors like red. Older boys wore shorts the same color of the long pants they were wearing, meaning mostly navy blue, forrest (dark) green, and tan. I don't recall much variation beyond these colors, at least colors of any popularity. Patterned shorts were not common, with one exception--madras or plaid. Madras was a popular fashion innovation in the 1960s. The boy here is a good example althogh this is more of a plaid (figure 1). There was a common convention. With madras/plaid short, solid colored shirts were worn. With madras/plaid shirts, solid colored pants were worn.
Short pants were done in sevral different materials/fabrics furing the 1960s. Most were done in cotton drill, the same kind of fabric commonly used for boys' slacks, iften called chinos. This included most popular kinds of shorts including regular shorts, Bermudas, Scout and Cub shorts, and camp shorts. We notice references to khaki but this seens more of a color than a fabric. Boxer shorts (meaning short pants not underwear) for younger boys playwear and school gym were done in a cheaper cotton fabric. We notice colorful madras shorts. Some were done in seersucker, but this was more popuar for shirts. We think there were cord shorts available, mostly in California. There were jean shorts, often done as cur-offs. Flannel shorts were done for fressy wear, often part of short pants suits. They were commonly done as suspender shorts for the younger boys.
Types
We see several different popular types, including boxers, shortalls, camp shorts, and jean cut-offs. Boxers were very popular during the summer, especially for younger boys. Shortalls, a combination of short poants and overalls were a major fashion item for younger boys. And depending on the shirt or blouse used could be worn for both playa nd formal occassions. Camp shorts appeared in the 1950s, but became popular in the 60s. As they tended to have no noteable hips, the elastic waist band solved the suspension problem. Cut-offs were a curious inovation that became popular in the 60s. We are not entirely sure why they were so popular, perhaps because they seemed to project the image of infornmalilty--not real shorts, but shorts cut down from jeans. There were also dress shorts for younger boys to be worn with suits. The ones to be worn with Eton suits tended to be suspender shoerts. We continue to see short sets.
Age
Short pants were always more popular for younger boys. They were very common for pre-school boys from the time they first appeared in the 1910s/1920s. We see many older boys wearing shorts in the 60s. We even see high school boys wearing shorts, although not to school. Bermuda shorts were also worn by college boys and many shorts avaialble for high school ages were cut like bermudas. This was the case as they were becoming popular summer casual wear for boys of all ages..
There were also demographic differences concerning short pants. Knee pants and knickers in the late-19th and early-20th century were worn by boys of all social clases. Short pants wre different. They were very common for boys families in comfortable circumstances, but much less common for boys from more ordinary families. Shorts were more common in the suburbs that the mire sucessful families mived to from the city and still more popular. Notice how the Kennedy family boys still wore short pants suits. Here we are primarily talking about Robert's large brood. The President's son John also wore short pants suits until he was about 8-9 years old. We are not sure what was behind this demographic difference. The influence of British fashion might have been a factor. The fact that boys from affluent families more commonly attended summer camps with required uniforms may have been another factor. Another factor is that many of these families sent their kids to private schools, some of which still has\d school uniforms. And generally supervised their children more closely, meaning they had less contact with aveage American boys. Strabgeky we begin to see the ifea developing that boys weaing short pants suits were spoiled, pampered brats. This is a theme we see in some Hollywood and TV programs. We suspect tyhis may be an idea picked up from the general publkic and not implanted by Hollowood.
Scouts
The Boys Scouts since their founding in Britain in most all countries wore uniforms consising of short pants and knee socks. American Scouts were an exception. American Scouts wore a breeches knicker-like uniform, apparently because Scout-age boys did not want to wear short pants which were seen as appropriate only for younger boys at the time. The Boys Scout of America organization (BSA) for whatever reason was uncomfortable with this difference. As a result, they required boys participating in BSA summer camps to wear a short pants uniform in keeping with Scouts in the uniforms adopted in Britain and most other countrues. When a Cubbing program was organized (1930), boys were given a choice of knickerts or short pants. A long pants option was approved and knickers ended (1940s). Most Cubs and Scouts preferred long panys. We see more Boy Scouts wearing shorts in the 1960s but for some unknown reason, fewer Cubs. The fact that Scouts and not Cubs went to BSA summer camps may have been a factor.
Boys commonly wote T-shirts with short pants along with sneakers. T-shirts were basic summwere wear. For casual occassions they were more likely to wear collared shirts. Younger boys might still wear blouses when dressing up. We no longer see many boys wearing knee socks with shorts. An exception here was younger boys still wearing short pants suits. This was primarily boys wearing Eton suits, but some boys still wore lapel jacket short pants suits. Another exception were Boy Scouts wearing the short pants uniform which was still worn with knee socks. Some mothers might buy kneesocks for caomp wear associating summer camping with Scouting. Sneakers had not yet replaced leather shoes. We still see boys wearing leather shoes and dark socks with shorts. We even see that at summer camp, although not so much as in the 1950s. Snekers werre most worn by primary-age children, but this would change significantly by the end of the decade. Boys wore the same kind of leather shoes cpmmonly worn at school for casual occassions and play. This was the last decade that wearing leather shoes with short pants was still common. Boys by the 70s mostly wearing sneakers and white socks with short pants.
