Figure 1.--This French post card was mailed in 1933. We are unsure just to what extent tge fashions shown in these post cards were actually worn by French boys.

French boys began wearing short pants in the 1900s and they rapidly replaced the kneepants that boys had been wearing since the mid-19th century. Kneepants were still common in the 1910s. Shorts becamme especially popular in the 1920s. One French source writes, "Cette mode s'est implantée au cours du début du XXe siècle, pour culminer des années 1920 aux 1940. C'était alors le vêtement emblématique de la jeunesse et il était habituel, à cette époque, de se rendre à l'école, au collège et au lycée, voire à l'université, dans cette tenue, parfois en hiver. Les images des livres destinés à la jeunesse, les photographies de classe de cette époque en témoignent." (Short pants were established during the beginning of the 20th century and culminated during 1920 to the 1940. It was during this period was the clothing emblematic of youth and it was usual, at that time, to go to the schooland the college, even to the university. HBC note: This somewhat overstates the age of boys earing short pants.] Short pants were sometmes even worn in winter. The images of the books intended for youth, the photographs of class of this time testify to how common short pants were. The ages wearing short pants varied over time asdid the conventions for wearing them. Boys shorts continued to be knee length until short styles began to appear in the mid-1920s. Knickers continued to be commonly worn. Short pants suits generally had knee-length shorts until the 1930s when shorter cut shorts began to appear for younger boys. Older French boys began wearing the shorter style in the 1940s. French photogrphers Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson provide many images of French boys wearing short pants over a range of years. Older boys began increasingly to wear long pants in the 1960s, especially after 1968, the Paris student revolt. A new longer style of shorts began to become fashionable in the 1970s. French boys were frequently wearing knee-length shorts by the early-1970s. The main differences from the styles of today was that they didn't go below the knee, and they were narrow instead of baggy. A HBC reader tells us about a French exchange student in England.

The 1900s

French boys began wearing short pants in the 1900s and they rapidly replaced the kneepants that boys had been wearing since the mid-19th century. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1910s

Kneepants were still common in the 1910s. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1920s

Short pants after World War I became the major type of pants worn by boys. Almost all of boys wore them, incliding many teen agers. They were also worn by mny boys during the winter, although this varies regionally. Boys shorts continued to be knee length until short styles began to appear in the mid-1920s. One example is a 1920s French family, although we are not positive how to interpret these postcard images. Knickers continued to be commonly worn. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1930s

Shoirts pants in the 1930s continued to be the primary tyoe of pants worn by French boys. Short pants suits generally had knee-length shorts until the 1930s when shorter cut shorts began to appear for younger boys. The image here is from 1933 (figure), but we are not sure how to interpret postcard images. We are not sure how realistic these images are and to what extent boys actually wore them. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1940s

French boys continued to commonly wear short pnts in the 1940s. Older French boys began wearing the shorter style in the 1940s. French photogrphers Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson provide many images of French boys wearing short pants over a range of years. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1950s

French boys continued wearing short pants in the 195s, but we note some basic shifts. We see some younger boys wearing long pants. Also we see fewervolfder boys wearing shors, especially duting the latec195s. By this time we also note an increasing tendency to wear short pants as casual warm weaher clothes rather than moe forml outdits like suits. Here a factor was the appeaance of jeans which became very p[ular wth teenagers, lthoygh some parents did not like them. A good idea of the shirts pants being worn by French boys in the 1950s can be seen by images available on one family. Although we have learned that it was a Belgian family, it is representative of how French boys were dressed in the 1950s. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1960s

Older boys began increasingly to wear long pants in the 1960s, especially after 1968, the Paris Student Riots. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1970s

We note far fewer French boys wearung short ants in the 1970s. His was especially trur at school. We do still see boys wearing shorts as casul summer wear, Tennagers in particular largeky stopped wearin shorts, generally preferring jeans. A new longer style of shorts began to become fashionable in the 1970s. French boys were frequently wearing knee-length shorts by the early-1970s. The main differences from the styles of today was that they didn't go below the knee, and they were narrow instead of baggy. A HBC reader tells us about a French exchange student in England. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1980s

Short pants become even lesscommon at school. We rarely see boys wearing shorts in the winter or when dressing up. Boys did wear shorts as casual warm weather wear. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 1990s

The new long shorts were almost universally worn by French boys in the 1990s. Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

The 2000s

Useful information is avaoilabe from French catalogs.

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Created: February 6, 2004
Last updated: 9:29 AM 3/13/2008