French boys began wearing shortened-length pants, commonly as suits, in the mid-19th century. The suit was a much more common garment in the 19th and early-20th century than is the case today. The suit was the standard garment for men and boys wih some social class and demographic differences. Boys' suits were were done with knee pants or knickers and gradually this became increasingly common. By the late-19th century and were standard for French boys by the end of the century. Shortened length pants were not seasonal wear, but commonly worn by boys in both summer nd winter. The suit jacket along wih knee socks and long stockings helped boys remain warm in cold weather. This continued into the 20th century. French boys commonly began wearing short pants in the 20th century. The transition from knee pants to short pants occurred mostly after World War I. The popularity of the Boy Scout movemnt which adopted shorts as part of the uniform was a factor here. The difference being length and the ornamental leg hem buttons. They rapidly replaced the knee pants that boys had been wearing since the mid-19th century. Unlike much of Europe, knickers also continued to be commonly worn, but by mostly older boys. Short pants suits generally had knee-length shorts until the 1930s when shorter cut shorts began to appear for younger boys. And suits contunued to be done with shorts that had the button leg trim. The buttons disappeared on stand alone shorts before disapparing from suit shorts. The buttons seenm to have been conncted with formality and thus need on suit shorts. We see that pattern in other European counbtries as well. Older French boys began wearing the shorter style in the 1940s. A factor may have been the World War II German invasion and occupation. The Germans exploited the French economy. Consumer goods like clothing were shipped to Germany with only minimal payment, creating serious shortages in the French economy. Thus new clothes for growing children became inceasingly difficult to obtain. Thus we see older boys wearing shorts than many were growing out of. Short-cut shorts were fashionable in the 1950s-70s. At the same time, dress becme increasingly informal, espcially for boy. We see fewer boys wearing suits by the 1960s, espoecially among younger teens who began wearing long pants more commonly. By the 1970s we see longer style shorts becoming more popular in France. At the same we see more boys and younger boys wearing long pants, especially when dressing up. Shorts except for the youngest boys became seen increasingly casual summer clothing.

The 1900s

Boys wearing short pants suits with knee socks and bare knees began to appear in France before the First World War.

The 1910s

Before World War I, knee length pants were common, but often worn with long stockings. The short pants fashion fashion was greatly influenced by Lord Baden Powell's growing Boy Scout uniform. The Scout Movement quickly crossed the Channel to France during the first decade of the 20th Century. French boys soon adopted the short pants which appeared in England and by the 1910s were commonly wearing shorts--albeit rather long shorts. Shorts were becoming the dominant fashion for boys in major European countries.

The 1920s

French boys during the inter-war years commonly wore short pants suits. While not universal, it was unusual to yet elementary age boys wearing long pants suits. This basically was a continuation of the the 1910s with boys wearing knee pants suits. The unic suits we see before World War I disappeared and boys were more likely to wear standard lapel suits in he 1920s. Boys made the transition from knee pants to short pants during the 20s. It was not just primary-age boys, but we also see younger secondary school boys also commonly wearing short pants suits. Boys did not usually begin wearing long pants suit until they were 14 or 15 years old or even older, although their were varitins from family to family. . Here there were social class differences. Boys in school were most likely to wear short pants suits. Boys who had begun to work were more likely to wear long pants suits. This was not just the school/work status, but mirrored the social class clevage. Middle-class boys continued on to seconfary school while working-class boys commonly ended their schooling when they completed primary school. At first short pants were very long, little different than knee pants, but without the decorative three buttons at the knee hem. Here there was a difference between many suit pants and stand alone shorts. Suit shorts were more likely to contiunue the convention of the buttons at the knee hem. We still see suit pants wih the decoirative buttons at the knee hem. We are not yet sure, however, just how common that was. Short pants generally replaced knee pants. during the 1920s. The shorts, however, tended to be quite long--often just above knee level. his was only lightly different from the knee pants worn in the 1900s and 10s. The length of the short pants worn with short pants suits was similar to the length worn by English boys in the 1920s, alothough English shorts were less likely to have the knee hem buttons.

Figure 4.--This 1936 French ad shows short pants (cullotes corte) suits with knickers (cullote de golf) as a second pair of pants. The short pants suits were made in sized through 16 years. I believe boys would mostly wear the knickers in the winter.

The 1930s

French boys during the inter-war years commonly wore short pants suit. While not universal, it was unusual to see primary-age boys wearing long pants suits. It addition younger secondary school boys also common wore short pants suits. Boys did not begin wearing long pants suit until they were 13 or 14 years of age and many even older boys wore them. Short pants suits were made for boys in sizes up to 16 years. Boys from 8 to 16 years of age might have a suit with both a pair of short pants and a pair of knickers. The length of the shorts varied. Some boys, especially older boys, might still wear quite long shorts in the 1930s. Some were even worn at knee length, but this was becoming less common. By the late 1930s, however, shorter styled shorts began to become more common. Knee socks were commonly worn with shorts when dressing up in a suit. HBC has little information about colors, but lighter colors appear to have been popular. HBC does not note a lot of dark colored suits. Formal short pants suits were mostly worn with knee socks, but ankle socks were often worn on more casual occasions and were most common during the summer. Knee socks were somewhat less common than in England.

The 1940s

Shorter length shorts become increasingly common in the 1940s, at least on the Continent. We are not entirely sure why, but suspect the World War II was involved. Of course the first half of the decade was dominated by World War II and the German occuopation of France (June 1940-August 1944). France had a large fashion and clothing industry. The Germans exploited France to support the German war economy. Large quantuities of clothing was shipped to the Reich with only minimal payment. The result was incewasing shortages of consumer goods in France as the War progressed. This mean that clothing became increasingly difficultt to obtain. So we see children wearing clothing they had outgrown. For boys this often mean wearing shorts that were shorter than they may have normally worn. In many, especially France and Italy, the fashion for increasingly shorter shorts became wide spread. And the War may have been a factor in this. Boys tended to wear knee socks with their suits. This was the case in the 1920s and 30s and continued in the 40s. Suits became somewhat less commo, we hink bcause of the war-time shortages. Some boys, especially during the summer wore short socks, but with suits, knee scks were more common. A few even wore white socks.

The 1950s

Shorts were commonly worn by European boys, even quite old boys through the 1950s. It was quite common for boys' suits to have short pants. A French HBC contributor confirms this saying that short pants suits were common in the 1950s, although he reports that he did not wear one. This is an important point. While short pants suit were still common after World War II, they wete not universal. Some quite old boys might wear a short panrs suit. On the other hand, some younger boys might wear long pants. There does not appear to have been a lot of easy to identify factors at play. Perhaps social class was a factor. But the primary reason was simply the predelections of the parents. Some parents had definite ideas. Some had no strong feelings on the matter.

The 1960s

This changed in the 1960s and by the end of the decade short pants suits were only seen on younger boys. An American HBC contributor that attended a French school for a year reports that to his best recollection in 1964/65, most boys did not wear suits to school. He recalls one boy in another class who always wore exactly the same clothes--a gray short pants suit with knee socks every day. The only difference between winter and summer is that he wore a sweater underneath the jacket in winter. He apparently came from a very traditionally-minded family. He can't clearly remember whether the boy wore, probably not. He did see some short pants suits (and long pants suits) when boys were being confirmed in a near by Catholic Church. He did see more boys wearing short pants suits when his family traveled to Germany.

The 1970s (1968- )

The Paris student riots during 1968 had a profound impact on youth culture throughtout Europe. Older French teenagers boys were already wearing jeans and other casual American styles. After the riots, the styles worn by the older boys were rapidly adopted by younger boys. All French boys wanted jeans in the 1970s and fewer boys wore suits. Boys increasingly adopted the new casual stylesand suits were worn to a far less extent than in earlier periods. Those boys that did wear suits to formal occasions were increasingly less likely to wear short pants suits. The ages of the boys continuing to wear short pants suits also declined.

The 1980s

French boys had worn rather short cut short pants in the 1960s and 70s, but beginning in the late 1980s an new longer cut style became more popular--often worn with cuffs. While boys by the 1990s no longer wore short pants suits, younger boys might wear short pants with blazers in a kind of casual formal look during the summer. Younger boys might wer sandals with such outfits.

The 1990s

Figure 6.--French boys after the 1970s no longer commonly wore short pants suits. Notice thst the boy here is not wearing a suit. Some younger boys in the 1990s might wear a casual style of blazer and short pants during the summer, often with sandals.

Created: 12:18 AM 10/15/2018
Last edited: 12:18 AM 10/15/2018