Figure 1.--These Brooklyn children are doing their First Communion, the older boy may be doing his confirmation. He probably is wearing dark over-the-knee long stockings with his knickers. The younger boy wears long white stockings with short pants, but is not wearing a jacket. HBC believes the photograph was probably taken in the early 1920s. Also note the boy's shoes.

The short pants suits worn by American boys for First Communion appear to have been primarily white suits. The white short pants suits appear to have been much more common than white knicker suits. More commonly the knicker suits were dark suits. HBC is not sure why this was, but may be because white short pants suits were more commonly purchased specifically for the First Communion service. American boys more commonly wore knicker suits than short pants suits. Thus a dark knicker suits could be worn as a boy's best suit after First Communion. There are several unanswered questions. It is unclear how commonly the boys pictured here in white short pants suits wore short pants. Did the boys pictured here usually wrar knickers and wore white short pants suits especially for First Communion or did they wear short pants most of the time and just got a white suit in their normal suit style.

Chronology

The white short pants First Comminion suit appears to be a style that appeared after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s. HBC has not noted them earlier. They were worn throughout the inter0war era, during both the 1920s and 30s. The style of the suits changed little, although neckwear and hosiery worn with them did change during this period.

Countries

The short pants suits worn by American boys for First Communion appear to have been primarily white suits. The white short pants suits in America appear to have been much more commonthan white knicker suits. More commonly the knicker suits were dark suits. HBC is not sure why this was, but may be because white short pants suits were more commonly purchased specifically for the First Communion service. American boys more commonly wore knicker suits than short pants suits. Thus a dark knicker suits could be worn as a boy's best suit after First Communion. The white First Communion suits appear to have been more common in America than in Europe, but HBC still has limited information on styles in many European countries.

Hosiery

During the inter-war era, American boys wore both long stockings and kneesocks with white short pants First Communion suits. Ankle socks were not commonly worn. Long stockings were common in the eraly 1930s and then declined in popularity. They were still worn in the 1930s and while less common than kneesocks, had a formal look than kneesocks.

HBC has noted that boys sometimes wore white sailor suits in the early 20th century with black long stockings. They were not worn for First Communion, but HBC has noticed this style. It was perhaps because dark long stockings were more common than white ones. HBC has only noted white stockings abnd socks worn with white suits for First Communion.

Collars

Many of the boys wearing white First Communion suits appear to have worn Eton collars with them during the inter-war era. HBC does not yet have sufficient images to assess how common Eton collars were in comparison to soft collars.

Figure 2.--Although it is difficukt to make out, this boy wears an Eton collar and floppy bow with his short pants First Communion suit. This photograph was probably taken in the 1930s. Note that this boy does not wear a sleeve ribbon.

Neckwear

Floppy bows for boys were still widely worn in the early 20th century, bit declined in popularity during the 1920s. Many of the biys wearing white short pants asuots appear tyo have also worn white floppy bows. These boys probably did not normally wear such bows when they dressed up.

Caps

HBC is unsure at this time what kind of caps, if any, boys wore with white First Communion suits. Caps were still much more widely worn than is the case today, but HBC is not sure if caps made uo the First Communion suits. Pergaps bdcause the boys were to engage in a church service andf would have to remove their caps, they they were not part of the outfit.

Shoes

Boys appears to have commonly worn white oxford-style shoes with their white suits. Other styles were also worn such as ballet style slippers (figure 1). The white oxfords seem tio have been more common.

Questions

There are several unanswered questions. It is unclear how commonly the boys pictured here in white short pants suits wore short pants. Did the boys pictured here usually wrar knickers and wore white short pants suits especially for First Communion or did they wear short pants most of the time and just got a white suit in their normal suit style.