Figure 1.-- Here is a family snspshot of three unidentified children dressed up for their portrit. The portrait is undatedm but looks to have been taklen about 1930. Notice the boy with buckle knicker closures. The children look about 5-9years old. The boy is wearing knee socks with his knickers, but the firls sre eearing long dtockings.

We believe that there were two fastening alternatives for the leg hem of boys' knickers. We have noted both buttons and buckles being used. Our archive is still fairly limited, so we are just begomming to develop information n the two fastening alternatives. We believe that some knickers were fastened by buttoning arrangements. We are not positive about the chrnology, but believe buttons were commonly used before World War I and the strap fastening appared after the War. Others knickers had strap fastening with buckles. The buckles I think were the kind that you treaded a fabric tounge from the closure band trough the metal buckle. We are not sure what the proper name was for this kind of buckle. Some times his fsabric tounge can be seen at the knee hem.

Buttons

We believe that some knickers were fastened by buttoning arrangements. We are not positive about the chrnology, but believe buttons were commonly used before World War I and the strap fastening appared after the War. This we need to confirm. We know buttons and buckles were used, but we are unsure about the precise chronology. The image here shows a boy with a button closure before the War (figure 1). Buttons had some disadvantages. They dif not provide as secure a fastening as was desirble.

Buckles

Others knickers had strap fastening with buckles. The buckles I think were the kind that you treaded a fabric tounge from the closure band trough the metal buckle. We are not sure what the proper name was for this kind of buckle. Some times his fsabric tounge can be seen at the knee hem. It is not always apparent just what that is in the photgraph. There may have been other tyoes of buckles, but this is all we know of at this time. Buckles were much more secure than buttons. It meant, however, that the boy had to fiddle with the buckle. Boys don't like complications with they dress. And if they didn't do it up right it might become unvuckled.

Navigate the Historic Boys ' Clothing Web chronol ogical pages:
[The 1900s] [The 1910s] [The 1920s] [The 1930s] [The 1940s] [The 1950s]

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Jackets] [Long pants suits] [Blazers] [Kilts] [S ailor suits] [Short pants suits]
[Ring bearer/page costumes] [Eton suits]

Created: 2:50 AM 1/3/2010
Last edited: 2:50 AM 1/3/2010