Figure 1.--Sears in 1929 offered short pants suits for boys from 3 to 9 years of age. Suits like these were often referred to as English-style suits. Many came with two pairs of shorts. They were mostly worn with kneesocks. Click on the image for a view of other boys' garments being sold in 1929.

Short pants first appeared in America during the 1900s along with the new Boy Scout movement. They did not become nearly as popular as in Europe. American boys fashions generally shifted from knee pants suits to knicker suits durng the 1900s. We see some boys wearing knickers with knee socks in ther 1910s, but we do not notice short pants suits. Some boys wore short pants suits in the 1920s, although they were generally worn by younger boys or boys from more affluent families, often with English or European connections. While short pants suits became standard in Europe, for reasons we do not fully unferstand, it was knicker suits that bdcame standard in America. They become more popular in the 1930s, but not as popular as knicker suits. Knicker suits disappeared in the 1940s. Short pants suits were worn by American boys through the 1960s, but they were never as popular as knicker or latter long pants suits. The 1950s was the last decade in which we see latge numbers of American boys wearing standard lapel jackets short pants suits Eton suits were standard for younger boys anf this dtyle persisted for some time. While short pants suirs were not common after the 1950s, we do see boys wearin blazers with short pants to some extent in the 60s and 70s

The 1900s

We have not found short pants suits in the 1900s. Boys mostly wore knee pants in the 1900s. This of course was similar to short pants, although cut long and with ornamental buttons at the knee hem. They do not look like short pnts, however, because they were usually worn with long stockings. Quite a number of boys went barefoot during the summer. And we see them dressing up with knee pants suits. Other wise almost all boys wore knee pants suits with long stockings. At the end of the decade knicker suits appear, but we still do not see short pants suits.

The 1910s

HBC has not noted short pants suits being sold in America during the 1910s. Suits were available with knee pants, knickers and long pants, but I do not believe in short pants. We do note some boys wearing above the knee knickers with knee socks, looking somewhat like short pants suits. We have not yet found examples of boys wearing short pants suits, t least dated images. Suits were still very common in the 1910s. Boys commonly wore them, even to school. We do not, however, see short pants suits. We do note a few boys during the late 1910s and early-20s wearing above-the-knee knickers with knee sovks, leaving the knee bare. This looked raher like a short pants suit. We also have a number of undated images that could have been taken n the late-1910s. So it is not possible to tell just when these images were taken, theu could have been tken in the late-1910s or early-20s.

The 1920s

We do begin to see American boys wearing short pants suits in the early-1920s. They are not nearly as common as knoicvkerr suits, but we do see quite a number. HBC notes that short pants suits were still not widely available in the early 1920s. Suits sold in America during 1920 and 1921 were mostly kneepants, knickers and long pants, but I do not believe commonly with short pants. By 1922 and 1923 short pants rapidly replaced kneepants for younger boys. They were often referred to as English-style suits. They were generally available for boys up to about 10 in mass retailers. Better mens' outfitters cattering to affluent clientelle might have them in larger styles. Older boys mostly wore knicker suits.

The 1930s

HBC notes that short pants suits were widely available in the 1930s. We don't see that many boys wearing them to school, except private scgools. They were worn by some younger boys, mostly boys up to age 10 years. Short pants suits were common for First Communion and other formal occassions. Here social class was a major factor. Sonme oklder boys did wear short pants suits, but they wre mostly fromn well-to-do families. This included families with British social connectins. Many well-to-do families had such connections. Seasonality does not seem go have been a factor. Older boys in grade (primary) school mostly wore knickers. Suits were becoming less common for school in the 1930s, at least at grade school. Some younger grade schoolers wore short pants, but short pants suits were less common. This was a major change fron the 1910s or even the 20s. And the suits that were worn for boys ovr 8-10 years were mostly knicker or long pants suits. By the end of the decade, long pants had become increasingly important, even for younger boys.

The 1940s

We see a range of suit pants in the 1930s. short pants, knickers, and long pants. This changed in the 1940s. At the beginning of the decade we see far fewer boys wearing knickers suits. By mid decade it was uncommon to see knicker suits. Boys wore most short pants or long pants suits with long pants becoming increasingly prevalent as the decade progressed. We see both fewer boys wearing short pants suits by the end of the decade as well aas generally younger boys. Both age and social class were important factors. We see mostly younger boys waring short pants suits. Age 10 years seems an important dividing line. we do not see many boys older thn 10 years of age wearing short pants suits, especially after mid-decade. Social class was also important. Boys were comfortable middle- and upper-class amilies were more likely to wear short pants suits. And this even included some boys older than 10 years. There were two types of short pants suits. Younger boys wore the junior Eton suits withhout lapels. The shorts tended to be suspendr shorts. Older boys wore standard suit jackets with lapels. mostly single-breasted jackets. we tended to see fewer boys wearing knee socks with short pants suits. And the jnee socks we see are solid colors and not the loud patterned knee socks of the 1930s.

The 1950s

The 1950s was the last decade in which we see latge numbers of American boys wearing standard laep jackets short poants suits Eton suits were standard for younger boys anf this dtyle persisted for some time.

The 1960s

We still see some American boys wearing short pants suits in the 1960s. For the most part they were pre-school boys or younger grade school boys to about 8-9 years of age. We see both Eton and lapel jackets, including blaxers worn with short pants. Long pznts suits were much more common, but we still see quite a few boys wearing short pants suits. There appear to have been a social class factor at play here. Most of the boys wearing shortpants suits seem to have been from affluent families. This was somewhat less the case for pre-school boys, but notable for school age boys. We note that Bobby Kennedy's boys wore short pants suits. Boys no longer wore suits to school and even short pants in genral were not common in public schools, even grade (primry schools) school. Boys at some private schools did wear short pants suits in some cases the school uniform. And this often mean suitable knee sock. This was primary school. We do not jnw of any scondry schools tht had short pants uniorms. Short pants suits might be seen at church or other formal occasion like weddings. Other special events might be outings o theaters and concerts. I rember going to a musical with my parents at the National Theater in Wshington during 1961. A boy about 11-12 years old in an overcoat and black short pants suit and knee socks sat in front of us. That was the last time I saw an Americn boy that age wearing a short pants suit. His mother was very fashionably dressed I suspect they came from well-to-do family. It may have been a school uniform. We are not sure about that.

The 1970s

The 1980s

Additional Information

New style: 1920s

The Party: 1950s

Traveling in Europe: 1960s

British debate: 1960s

Boyhood memories

Created: March 14, 2000
Last updated: 7:53 AM 2/26/2021