Figure 1.--Kneepants became more popular in the 1870s, especially in cities. We are not entirely sure what they were called at the time. One complication here is that they weren't really knee-length pants. Boys at the time wore rather long kneepants. Some were only a little above the ankle looking more like long pants the boy had outgrown. Most common were calf-length pants. This portait is unidentified. All we know is that it was taken in Chicago, Note the boy's vlose cropped hair. We wonder if he is perhaps a recent immigrant. Also notice is pants cut to calf level.

HBC has received numerous inqueries asking what pants were called during various historical periods. One reader writes, "I'd like to know what trousers/slacks were called in the 1880s. I know, during the American Civil War they were called pantaloons and that the term "pants" was originally a slang word for trousers (c. 1880) coined, I believe, by the Central and Eastern European Jewish immigrants in New York City. I've read "How the Other Half Lived", by Jacob Riis, (1890), where the word "pants" is used." This is a good question. The problen is that the terms have changed over time. There are also regional and social class differences. Chaning types of pants and English and American differences also complicate the problem. A further complication is that contemprary sources ar not always consistent on the terms used, even in the same country. Also there are many terms such as "knickers" and "pants: that were slang tems that eventually became the more common word. While there is some information on our site, it is not neatly detailed in a chronological pattern with links to the appropriate pages. I think I will try to pull somethig together on this question. The subject is complicated just using American terms. A further complication is foreign terms.

1860s

A HBC reader writes, "I know, during the American Civil War they were called pantaloons.

1870s

Kneepants became more popular in the 1870s, especially in cities. We are not entirely sure what they were called at the time. One complication here is that they weren't really knee-length pants. Boys at the time wore rather long kneepants. Some were only a little above the ankle looking more like long pants the boy had outgrown. Most common were calf-length pants.

1880s

A reader tells us, "... the term "pants" was originally a slang word for trousers (c. 1880) coined, I believe, by the Central and Eastern European Jewish immigrants in New York City."

1890s

Americans in the 1890s appear to be using the terms "pants" and "trousers" interchagably. They were generic terms. Kneepants were indicated by adding "knee" as a modifier. This was not done with trousers, although we note that knnepants were considered to be a type of trousers. The American pattern magazine Dlinearor in 1893 uses the term trousers when describing both kneepants and long trousers. Work Brothers in 1893 uses the term kneepants. We believe this means short-length straight-leg pants rather than knickers. Sears in 1897 uses the term pants as a general reference, but in this case was describing kneepants. Sears in 1897 also used the term kneepants when describing straight-leg knee-length pants. A reader tells us, "I've read "How the Other Half Lived", by Jacob Riis, (1890), where the word 'pants' is used."

1900s

Sears in 1902 was using the term kneepants for straight-leg shortened trousers. McCalls in 1908 used the term "knickerbocker trousers" to described the blouced often-above the knee pants worn by younger boys with their tunic suits. Ucanttear in 1909 used the term "kneepants" and "pants" to describe both straight-leg kneepants and blouced knickers. The knickers were described specifically as knicker-bocker-style and knickerbocker-pants.

1910s

An American company Stuart's in 1915 used the term "rompers" to describe one-piece short pants suit, both stright leg and blouced shorts. Stuart' in 1915 also uses "trousers" to describe short pants for someone older boys. The term is used generically, the type of pants indicated by accompanying illustrations.

1920s

American boys by the 1930s are commonly wearing knickers and using that term. Montgomery Ward in 1922 was using "rompers" for one-piece suits with bloomer or blounced short pants. Stuart's in 1915 used the term bloomer pants todescribe tunic suits worn with above the knee bloomer knickers. We see kneepants rapidly dissapear after the early 1920s. It is difficult in many cases to destinguish between kneepants and short pants. The major difference we use are the ornamental buttons at the knee hem and the length. Pants cut at or below the knee are kneepants and those cut above the knee are short pants. Admittedly there is a gap there in which the pants could be be either. We also note the rerm "short pants" and "shorts" being used.

1930s

Knickers were widely worn by American boys. We note British references to knickers used in the sence of short trousers. Actual knickers were referred to as "knickerbockers". We notice Sears using the term "longies" and less commonly "shorties" for long a short pants.

1940s

Some American boys in the early 40s are still wearing knickers, but the style rapidly gors out of style during the War.

1950s

We boys in Washington D.C. used the term "blue jeans" I remember mu father who grew up on a Mid-Western farm called them dungarees. Only mall boys wore shorts which were called short pants. English boys called shorts, "short trousers". When the term "trousers" was worn, it meant long pants. Pants was the term used for underwear.

1960s

The term slacks in america was used for a boy's better pants. They were not suit pants, but dressier pants than jeans are other panys worn for play. They genrally were used to desribe pants worn by teenagers or adult men. They were always long pants.

1970s