Figure 1.--School photographs are a wonderful source of information on the clothes boy wore in any given year. Here we see a German class in 1927. We are not sure what kind of school it was. We suspect that it may be the beginning class in a gymaaium. The boys look to us about 11-12 years old. Virtually all of the boys look to be wearing short pants with three-quarter socks, kneesocks, and long stockings. Pne boy may be wearing breeches, something we rarely see (extreme right second row). Most German boys this age wore short pants in the 1920s, especially boys from middle-class families. (Few working-class boys won places in gymnasiums.)

There were differences among countries as to the types of pants boys wore before World War I (1914-18), but the difference became more pronounced, especially the difference between how American and European boys dressed after the War. Above-the-knee knickers had become quite standard in the United States by the late 1910 and were commonly worn in the early 20s. Gradually below-the-knee knickers became more common by the end of the decade. Primarily because the boys preferred the longer length as more mature. One American boy photographed from this decade with his dog wears knickers that are short enough to show the supporters holding up his black long stockings. In Germany, however, and other parts of Europe, above-the-knee knickers seem to have been less popular. This was probably because short pants wrre more popular and the boys wearing knickers were mostly older boys. In America short pants were also worn, but knickers were much more common, even for primary (elementary) school age boys. A good example of the American style of boys' trousers--above-the-knee knickers--is provided by a Florida boy from the early 1920s. He wears the traditional black long stockings, but the knickers come down to only three or four inches above the knee. Most above-the-knee knickers were longer than this, but the photo is particularly illustrative of the style. In Canada, the new short pants (as opposed to knee pants) had been adopted, but the shorts were often worn quite long (as knee pants would have been worn in slightly earlier times). A portrait of the Fowler children in Montreal, taken in 1929, shows the older boy (about 9 years old), dressed in typical schoolboy clothes, with a sweater, a tie, and shorts worn with black long stockings. The younger child appears to be in rompers. A contrasting photograph from the same year, also taken in Montreal, illustrates the new style of knitted short pants, which could often be quite short. The 7- or 8-year old Kastner boy wears knitted short pants with long beige or light tan long stockings, which complement his neat pullover sweater and neat tie. He is obviously wearing dress-up clothes for the portrait, but his outfit illustrates a very common Canadian fashion for schoolboys, especially in culturally conversative Quebec. With the knitted short pants, the stockings have to be very long to cover his legs Notice a German boy, wearing a sailor suit on the first day of class at his school. His pants can be described as short pants rather than knee pants because of their length, and although it is difficult to tell, we suspect that there are no ornamental buttons. The shortness of the pants of course requires much longer black stockings than were worn earlier with knee-length pants. Boys in Europe began wearing short pants rather than kneepants switching to knickers in their teens. Just when in their teens varied from family to family.

America

We note some boys still wearing knee pants in the early 1920s. An example is Warren Sonneman wearing an Easter suit in 1923. Above-the-knee knickers had become quite standard in the United States by the late 1910 and were commonly worn in the early 20s. A good example is an American boy in a school music group. Gradually below-the-knee knickers became more common by the end of the decade. Primarily because the boys preferred the longer length as more mature. One American boy photographed from this decade with his dog wears knickers that are short enough to show the supporters holding up his black long stockings. In America short pants were also worn, but knickers were much more common, even for primary (elementary) school age boys. A good example of the American style of boys' trousers--above-the-knee knickers--is provided by a Florida boy from the early 1920s. He wears the traditional black long stockings, but the knickers come down to only three or four inches above the knee. Most above-the-knee knickers were longer than this, but the photo is particularly illustrative of the style.

Canada

In Canada, the new short pants (as opposed to knee pants) had been adopted, but the shorts were often worn quite long (as knee pants would have been worn in slightly earlier times). A portrait of the Fowler children in Montreal, taken in 1929, shows the older boy (about 9 years old), dressed in typical schoolboy clothes, with a sweater, a tie, and shorts worn with black long stockings. The younger child appears to be in rompers. A contrasting photograph from the same year, also taken in Montreal, illustrates the new style of knitted short pants, which could often be quite short. The 7- or 8-year old Kastner boy wears knitted short pants with long beige or light tan long stockings, which complement his neat pullover sweater and neat tie. He is obviously wearing dress-up clothes for the portrait, but his outfit illustrates a very common Canadian fashion for schoolboys, especially in culturally conversative Quebec. With the knitted short pants, the stockings have to be very long to cover his legs

England

France

Germany

Most German boys wore short pants, often well into their teens. Here both social class and family preferences determined when the boys began wearing knickers or long pants. Middle class boys were more likely to wear short pants longervthan working-class boys. Here we see what we believe to be a gymnasium class in 1927 (figure 1). Almost all of the boys who look to be middle-class boys wear short pants. Notice a German boy, wearing a sailor suit on the first day of class at his school. His pants can be described as short pants rather than knee pants because of their length, and although it is difficult to tell, we suspect that there are no ornamental buttons. The shortness of the pants of course requires much longer black stockings than were worn earlier with knee-length pants. Boys in Europe began wearing short pants rather than kneepants switching to knickers in their teens. Just when in their teens varied from family to family. In Germany and other parts of Europe, the above-the-knee knickers worn in America seem to have been less popular. This was probably because short pants wrre more popular and the boys wearing knickers were mostly older boys.

Italy