Figure 1.--This ad shows the styles of knickers and knee pants available for little boys in the 1920s. Different styles were abvailable for older boys. Note the strong influence of the Norfolk jacket style. |
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While knickers are an English creation, probably no where were they more widely worn than in America. HBC begins to notice knickers in America during the 1870s, but they did not become popular as a boys' garment until after the turn of the 20th century. Even through the 1900s kneepants were more common than knickers. By the 1910s, however, knickers were beginning to replace kneepants. Knickers were tghe dominate trousers for American boys in the 1920s and 30s. Unlike Europe where short pants were more common, Americam boys wore knickers--even Boy and Cub Scouts wore them. Through the early 1920s they were mostly worn with ling stockings, but by the mid-1920s, kneesocks had become more popular. The age of boysearing knickers varied substantially over time. Although knickers had once been pervasive for boys, they declined in pipularity very quickly in the early 1940s. It is unclear to HBC just why this major fashion shift occurred so abruptly
While knickers are an English creation, probably no where were they more widely worn than in America. HBC is not sure why theu were so popular in America. We have not noted that they were particularly popular with boys. For some reason they appear to have appealed with American parents.
HBC begins to notice knickers in America during the 1870s, but they did not become popular as a boys' garment until after the turn of the 20th century. Even through the 1900s kneepants were more common than knickers. American boys did not begin to wear knickers extensively until the 1910s. By the 1910s, however, knickers were beginning to replace kneepants. Knickers soon became themajor attire worn in America. School-age boys in America between the two world wars wore knicker suits. Knickers were the dominate trousers for American boys in the 1920s and 30s. Unlike Europe where short pants were more common, Americam boys wore knickers--even Boy and Cub Scouts wore them. Through the early 1920s they were mostly worn with ling stockings, but by the mid-1920s, kneesocks had become more popular. The age of boysearing knickers varied substantially over time. Although knickers had once been pervasive for boys, they declined in pipularity very quickly in the early 1940s. It is unclear to HBC just why this major fashion shift occurred so abruptly
Knickers are often confused with kneepants, but differ from knickers because they were unclosed at the hem and did not have the three ornamental buttons commonly associated with kneepants.
Little boys or boys from affluent families might wear shorts.
Most American boys in the 19th century wore knee pants rather than knickers in the 19th century. Knickers became more common after the turn of the 20th century, especially by the 1910s. We note boys wearing knickers from abou 5-18 years of age, this varied chronologically. We note quite old boys wearing kneepants at the turn of the century, although this varied from family to family. We note many high school boys wearing knickers in the 1910s, although most boys but not all boys had shifted to long pants by the time they graduated, usually at age 18 or 19 years. Short pants appeared in America during the 1920s, but were mostly worn by younger boys. Most boys of any size, especially if they were still in shorts, wanted their knickers as soon as possible. Knickers came to be almost a symbol of American boyhood as short pants came to symbolize British boyhood. As short pants suit were more common on older boys who at 15 or American boys in the 1920s might wear knickers during high school or at least the first few years of high school. By the late 1930s and early 1940s boys generally wore knickers in primary (elementary) school and would get their first long pants suit at least by the time they were 13 or 14 which was about the time they began high school. This can be traced in some detil, both because of the photogaphic record and the popular mail order catalogs.
The first knickers we note seem to have been the pants that came with suits. We ten see pants offered separatelt, but the suits seem to get more attention in advertisements and catlogs. We see the sandard bots suit from the 1910s through the 30s was a dark knicker suit. There were lighter colors as well, but a boys stabdard suit was a dark one, commonly worn with dark long stockings. A good eaxample are the knickers suits boys in 1932 wore gor their confirmation. Boys by the 1920s often had knickers that did not come with suits. Many boys wore corduroy knickers to school.
Knickers were also worn in England where they were called "plus fours", referring to the additional cloth required. While worn in England and Europe they were much less common than in America.
The two basic stylistic elements of knickers are length and cut. Boys initially usually wore their knickers buckled above the knees in the 1910s and early 1920s. Younger boys especially wore them above the knees. Many boys as they got older and began to want long pants would often prefer the more manly style
of buckling them below the knee. Some mothers would insist that their son buckle his knickers above the knee. The boy, however, after leaving the house would rebuckle his knickers in the preferred below the knee position. This mother/son struggle of the 1920s was imortalized in the classical American musical, Music Man.The problem was eventually
resolved during the 1930s as shorts became more common for younger boys. Knickers for older boys were made slightly longer and the fashion of buckling them below the knee became accepted. We also notice a wide range of cuts for knickers. This ranged from rather tight form fitting knickers as well as very baggy full cut knickers, often called plus fours.
We have only limited information at this time as to how knickers were fastened at the knee. It is difficult to tell from the photographic records. The knickers commonly worn by American boys tended to be voluminous and thus hung down over the closure. The first knickers seemed to have used buckles and buttons to close the leg hem at the knee. We do not yet have any actual images of the fastening arrangements. The over lap onssured the fact that the knickers commonly buckled above the knee. Some knickers had enough material that they could be buckled below the knee if the boy so chose. Boys apparently preferred to do this, but some parents objected. There ppears to have bben a fabric band that bucked that could be moved up or down. Knickers in the 1920s seem to have been made with less bloucing, but we have not yet found an image showing the bucklng arrangement. We note knickers with elastiised web knee bands in the 1930s, but are not sure when they first appered. Some catalogs suggest that this alternative was very popular.
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The primary headwear worn with knickers was the flat cap. Knickers were at first mostly worn with suits. This was because suts were commonly worn in the early-20th century. Boys commonly wre them to school. We fitst see them in America diring the 1900s, but they did not become the standard boys' garment until the 1910s. Many early photograohs and portraits show boys wearing them as part of suits--even in casul circumstance. We begin to see boys dressing more cassually afterWorld war I in the 1920s. We see boys wearing knickers with shirts and sweaters. This was particularly common in the 1930s. The types of hosiery also changed. Most boys wore knickers with long stockings. This continued to be common through the 1920s, but by then we also see knee socks. Boys by the 30s were commonly wearing knickers with kneesocks ad by the late-30s we also see ankle socks. We also see a gradual transition from high-top to low-cut shoes, mostly oxfords.
American boys have worn a wide variety of hosiery with knickers. At first most boys wore long stockings. Black long stockings were especially common. By the 1930s knee socks with bold patterns were more common. We note boys wearing ankle socks during the 1930s, especially during the summer. Tis appears to havebeen because knee socks were becoming less popular with boys.
One of the most common materials for American knickers was
corduroy. Both knickers suits and casual knickers were made in corduroy. Other materails included a tweed blend. A light blue thread could be observed in the fabric weave. One popular material for knicker suits were serge or a flannel worsted, primarily for a boys best suit. This would often be a navy blue suit worn with dark blue or black stocking, rather than the patterned argyl kneesocks usually worn with knickers.
The knicker fashion in America was a major divergence from British
and European fashions for boys. Through much of the 19th century,
American dress patterns simply followed those of Europe, with a few
exceptions such as Fautleroy and Buster Brown suits. But these,
especially the Fautleroy style was adopted by Europeans. With the
popularity of knickers in America there developed significant
differences between European and American styles. Knickers were not
unknown in Europe where older boys might wear them instead of shorts.
They were not, however, worn as widely by European boys
as knickers were in America.
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Knickers and Shorts: America--1930s
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