Figure 1.--Sailor suits in the 1920s were mostly worn by younger American boys. On Continental Europe much older boys might wear sailor suits.

The interwar years ushered in an entirely new era of American childrens clothes for both boys and girls. Little boys stopped wearing dresses. Many fancy styles like Fauntleroy suits passed out of fashion. America basically followed European fashions in through the early 20th century, although two classic styles Fautleroy suits and Buster Brown suits did originate in America. After World War I, American and European fashions diverged. Short pants were never as popular in America as in Europe. American boys more commonly wore knickers. A popular event during this era were beautiful baby contests when young children were dressed in their best outfits.

Chronology

A dramatic change occurred in the clothes worn by America boys after the First World War (1914-18). Dresses and kilt suits for younger boys disaapeared as did Fauntleroy suits and kilts. Sailor suits were still worn, but most by younger boys. Knee panrs disappeared. Some boys wore the new short pants with kneesocks imported from England, but knickers proved much more popular in America. A lot of boys' styles spanded the inter-war years, but there were definite fashions shofts during the period making it often easy to seoarate 1920s from the 1930s. Many of our modern clothing styles owe their foundation to this era.

Figure 2.--American boys in the early 1920s were wearing both above the knee and below the knee knickers. Most boys preferred the below the knee style.

The 1920s

A dramatic change occurred in the clothes worn by America boys after the First World War which ended in 1918. Dresses and kilt suits for younger boys dissappeared as did Fauntleroy suits and kilts during the 1920s. Dramatic changes in fashion were perhaps inevitable after the horrors of the War, but just why these fashions disappeared is not fully understood. Sailor suits were still worn, but mostly by younger boys. Knee pants disappeared entirely. Some boys wore the new short pants with kneesocks imported from England, but knickers proved much more popular in America. More informal fashions began to appear in the 1920s. Boys continued to dress more formally than is common today, but much less formally than at the turn of the century. American boys mostly wore knicker suits. Suits and jackets were still more commonly worn than today. Double breasted styles were popular, but single breasted jackets the most common. Parents generally purchased patterned kneesocks for boys, although some boys wore ankle socks during the summer. What Americans now refer to as Eton suits for little boys appeared for the first time in the 1920s. >Youner boys were the most likely to wear short pants. they were most common with affluent families which were more apt to follow English and other European styles. Shorts were most common in the Southern states and California. A variety of play clothes for little boys such as rompers and coveralls were also worn. Most older boys wore knickers for both school and play. In the early 1920s knickers were worn with long stockings or kneesocks, but by the 1930s it became common to wear them with ankle socks--especially during the summer. Overalls were commonly worn by rural boys, but city boys had not yet begun to wear what we now call jeans. Caps and hats were commonly worn by both men and boys. One of the most popular style of caps was the motoring cap.

Figure 3.--Short pants in America were mostly worn by younger boys. Note this boys button sshort pants and strapmsandals. His shirt collar is characteristic of the 1930s.

The 1930s

There were not a lot of new fashions appearing in the 1930s, perhaps because the Great Depression following the U.S. 1929 stockmarket crash caused many families to retrench. Others simply could not purchase new clothes. Several fashions, however, evolved during the decade and the fround work was set for the American boy's big leap to long trousers in the 1940s. Outwardly American men's clothing had changed only subtly during 1930s. Men and older boys wore suits with wider shoulders and more double-breasted suits. Boys wore both single and double breasted suits. School age boys mostly wore knicker suits. Younger boys might wear short pants suits, but by the time they were 8 or 9, sometimes earlier, they wanted knickers or even long pants. Many men of the era can remember to this day when they got their first pair of knickers and then long pants. American boys commonly wore knickers in the 1930s. At the beginnng of the 1930s the knickers buckled at the knee. Most boys by the 1930s were wearing knickers that buckled below the knee. A new style of knickers became increasingly popular by the early 1930s. Rather than buckling at the knee, the new style was elasticized. The boy then pulled his kneesocks up over the elasticised knicker hem. He then put a garter under the turn- over-top sock cuff to keep the sock up. Short pants varied somewhat depending on the boys' age. Younger boy wore very short shorts, often with short jackets. Older boys wore longer short pants, usually cut to knee length. Formal dressy short pants were mostly worn by younger boys. Mostly they were worn with ankle socks. Shorts were most common in the south and California. Some older boys in the northeast, especially boys from affluent families wore short pants with knees socks. Casual and play shorts were also worn mosly by younger boys--mostly during the summer. Somewhat older boys might wear play shorts, but even play shorts were not commonly worn by boys past elementary school. Many boys went to camp during the summer. Some of the more expensive camps had uniforms. Usually shirts with the camp logo and short pants. Some of these shrts had a vertical stripe on the side. >Fancy dress up clothes were still worn, but much less than in the eraly 20th century. Velvet Fauntleroy suits had not entirely disappeared for boys. The Fauntleroy suit was much modified and now made with short pants to be worn with white kneesocks and ankle socks. These outfits were only worn by boys from wealthy families for formal occasions. Sailor suits were still worn in the 1930s, but only by younger boys. Boys older than 8 or 9 year old rarely wore sort pants. They were primarily worn with short pants. Sailor suits with knickers were unusual.

Figure 4.--A fashion magazine in 1929 published these drawings showing fashionable boys' clothes seen in the New York City area. Notice the Eton suit which became a standard for younger American boys.

Garments

Garments worn in the inter-war years often had a destinctive look, but appear increasingly modern to our modern eyes.

Caps and hats

Caps and hats were commonly worn by both men and boys. One of the most popular style of caps was the ????? cap. During the winter stocking caps were widely worn. Boys from affluent families might wear berets when younger or British-style peaked caps with suits.

Suits

Boys continued to dress more formally than is common today. American boys mostly wore knicker suits. Suits and jackets were still more commonly worn than today. Double breasted styles were popular, but single breasted jackets the most common. Parents generally purchased patterned kneesocks for boys, although some boys wore ankle socks during the summer. What Americans now refer to as Eton suits for little boys appeared for the first time in the 1920s. White only vaguely related to the actual Eron suit and jacket, it became a very popular style for ypunger American boys by the 1950s. In the 1920s and 30s it was mostly worn bu boys from affluent families.

Pants

Shoes

Conventions

Boys atire development along much more casual lines in the inter-war years.

Dress clothes

Play clothes

Youner boys were the most likely to wear short pants. they were most common with affluent families which were more apt to follow English and other European styles. Shorts were most common in the Southern states and California. A variety of play clothes for little boys such as rompers and coveralls were also worn. Most older boys wore knickers for both school and play. In the early 1920s knickers were worn with long stockings or kneesocks, but by the 1930s it became common to wear them with ankle socks--especially during the summer. Overalls were commonly worn by rural boys, but city boys had not yet begun to wear what we now call jeans.

Beautiful Baby Contests

A popular event during this era were beautiful baby contests when young children were dressed in their best outfits. These were not precisely beautiful baby contests as infants and young children were involved. We are not sure when these events first developed. We believe in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. It is during the 1920s and 30s that they appear to have been most common. We notoce them in Ameica, but they may have also been held in other countriues as well. They were held throughout America. A popular venue were county and state fairs. Photographs of these events are good illustrations ogf how younger children were dressed during the era.

Figure 5.--American Scouts in the 1930s mostly wore knickers, but would frequently wear a short pants uniform at camps, like the first American Jamboree in 1937.

Youth Uniforms

The principal American youth movement in the inter-wat years was Scouting. American Scouting grew tremendously during the 1920s. The Depression of the 1930s limited the ability of some American boys to participate. American Cubs and Scouts mostly wore a knickers uniform, in contrast to Scouts in other countries who mostly wore short pants. Some American Scouts wore shorts and kneesocks, but mostly at camps, jamborees, and other outdoor activities. The formal uniform hat continued to be the traditional "Smokey Bear" hat worn by early English Scouts.

Youth Culture

The United States emerged from World War I as the largest industrial power in the world. Europe had been devestated by World War I. Virtually an entire generation of men had been wiped out. The world had never seen such slaughter. American was largely untouched, its economy has in fact been stimulated by the War. American cities and the increasing urbanization of America life continued in the inter-war era. The impact of industrial expansion and urbaniaztion was far reaching. Youth continued spending ever increasing time in school. Almost all children now finished primary school, and an increasing number were now at least beginning secondary schools. Children were increasingly dependent on their parents into their late teens. This development had given rise to a youth culture that was affecting fashion and dress. The new youth culture began to exert itself as never before in American life and culture. There were many other less benign consequences. Newspapers reported on youth "gangs" and "juvenile delinquency" in the larger cities. Thus concern over youth and juvdenile delinquency had given rise to the Boy Scouts and other youth groups. Many American boys became Cubs and Scouts or participated in other youth groups. [Graebner, pp. 11-13.]

Catalogs

HBC has quite a range of pages showing the clothing offered in American catalogs and periodical dvertisements during the inter-war era. This is a section that we are constantly expanding nand provides a wealth of intormation about the stles and garments worn. We have pages from both the 1920s and 1930s. Unlike the photograhs we have found, the catalog and periodical ads often have ad copy with a great deal of information.

Individul Boys

We have archieved quite few boys from the inter-War era on HBC. We have not yet made the links, but this is one of many projects we are planning. This will provide a wealth of information about period clothes. But it will take some time to make all the appropriate links.

Sources

William Graebner, Coming of Age in Buffalo: Youth and Authority in the Postwar Era (Temple University Press, 1990).

Created: November 22, 1998
Last updated: 10:13 PM 9/9/2006