Figure 1.--This new style cabinet card shows an unidentified brother and sister. The little girl wears a white summer frock with white long stockings and four-bar strap shoes. The boy wars a dark sailor suit with knee pants and long stockings. The childrem look to be about 3-8 years of age. She hold a doll and the boy a book, presumably studio props. The portrait is undated, but the clothes and mount style suggest the early 1900s, perhaps about 1905. The studio was Miller in Mineapolis, Wisconsin.

The types of pants American boys wore with sailor suits varied over time. We see knee pants appearing about the same time that sailor suits appeared. Knee pants were very popular in the late-19th-century and very early-20th century. We see larger number of boys wearing knee pants sailor suits. This was because knee pants became the standard boys' wear. Actually knee pants were so common that we rarely see boys wearing long pants, ar least in urban areas. Sailor suits were an exception. Some were done with long pants. For many boys during the 1890s-1900s, it was their only long pants until well into their teen years. Sailor suits were one of the most popular outfits for boys. They were very popular both with boys and parents. We see older boys wearing sailor suits during the period that knee pants were most common. For some reason as knee pants declined we began to see sailor suits declining in popularity as well, although much less precipitously. And when knickers replaced knee pants about 1910, the change occurred for both regular suits and sailor suits. Most suits were made with knee pants during the late-19th century because that was what most American boys wore. This was especially the case in the 1890s and very early 1900s. After 1910 when knickers became standard for boys we see many boys wearing knicker sailor suits. We also see knee pants suits in the 1910s, one of the few outfits still done with knee pants rather than knickers. These seem to have been dobe along with Oliver Twist suits.

The 1870s

We see afew sailor suitss in the 1870s. The British royal family invented the idea of the aior suit for boys (1840s). At first they were worn with long pants which were the standard truser type for boys at the time. It took some time for the style to become poplar in Brtain, and even more time tocross the Allantic. We begin to see some sailor suits in the 1870s. Boys at the time, however, mostly wore long pants. We see some younger boys earing knee pants.

The 1880s

We see knee pants appearing about the same time that sailor suits appeared. Knee pants were very popular in the late-19th-century and very early-20th century. We first see this in really large numbers during the 1880s, lthough they continue to bemost worn by younger boys.

The 1890s

We see larger number of boys wearing knee pants sailor suits. This was because knee pants became the standard boys' wear. Actually knee pants were so common that we rarely see boys wearing long pants, ar least in urban areas. Sailor suits were an exception. Some were done with long pants. For many boys during the 1890s-1900s, it was their only long pants until well into their teen years. Sailor suits were one of the most popular outfits for boys. They were very popular both with boys and parents. We see older boys wearing sailor suits during the period that knee pants wree most common. Most suits were made with knee pants during the late-19th century because that was what most American boys wore. This was especially the case in the 1890s and very early-1900s.

The 1900s

Knee pants during the 1900s contiued to be the primary trouser type worn by American boys into their teens. There were differences from family to family as well as demographic and social class differences. The photographoc recors is very substantial. The sailor suit continued to be one of the most popular styles for boys dring the decade, although we see fewer younger teens wearing them. Older boys wearing knee pans did not wear sailor suits. But the school-age boys wearing sailor suits, most wore them with knee pants. We mostly see sailor suits being worn with knee pants during the decade, although begin to see kickers by the end of the decade. The Mineapols boy here is a good example of the knee pants sailor suits worn during the decade (figure 1). He looks to be about 8 years old. There are many such examples on HBC. While some boys wore long pants with sailor uits, knee pants were by far the most commom choice which can be verified in boyh the photogrphic record and period catlogs.

The 1910s

For some reason as knee pants declined we began to see sailor suits declining in popularity as well, although much less precipitously. And when knickers replaced knee pants about 1910, the change occurred for both regular suits and sailor suits. After 1910 when knickers became standard for boys we see many boys wearing knicker sailor suits. We also see knee pants suits in the 1910s, one of the few outfits still done with knee pants rather than knickers. These seem to have been done along with Oliver Twist suits.

The 1920s

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Created: 4:10 AM 6/24/2014
Last updated: 4:10 AM 6/24/2014