Figure 1.--Here we see some kind of children's street procession, we think in the early-1950s. The boys are dressed up for the occassion and wear a range of popular styles. One boy wears a trendy short-sleeved suit jacket. Another boy has a Bavarian jacket. He is the only boy with a cap. The boys all wear short pants with various types of knee socks. Only one boy wears ankle socks. All the boys have low-cut oxford shoes.

We have begun to collect some infomaton about the garments German boys wore in the 1950s. The trend for casual clothing continued in the 50s. Amd as a result we no longer see nearly as many German boys weating suits. Suits became less common as more casual styles became popular for both school and home. Suits were worn to church or for special occassions like First Communion and Confoirmtion. Caps seem less popular, even the venerable Schirmmütze. The decline in headwear is especially apparent by the end of the decade, except during the winter. Many boys wore suit coats as jackets in the early 1950s, but by the mid-1950s a variety of casual jackets began to be increasingly popular. Sweaters were one of the most popular fall and winter garments. Many were knitted by grandmothers and mothers, but by the late 50s many were also being purchased ready made. We note that some boys were still wearing their sweaters tucked into their pants, especially in the early-50s. Short pants still dominated boys' wear, especially in the early 1950s. Most boys wore shorts, although we increasingly see long pants during the cold winter months. Many boys wore suspender shorts. Not all boys wore Lederhosen, but suspender or H-bar shorts were very common. We note one unidentified familiy with all the boys wearing suspender shorts in the early 50s. Lederhosen were widely worn, but still partly regional. An Americam import--jeans began to become popular by the end of the decade. Boys went barefoot much less commonly as economic conditions improved. We still see many younger boys wearing high-top shoes in he 1940s, but the high tops disappear in the 50s. Most boys wore leather oxfords. We do not see many boys wearing sneakers. We no longer see boys wearing strap shoes. Sandals were popular in the summer. Open-tor sandals were the mpst common, but some boys wore closed-toe sandals as well, especially in the 1940s and 50s. Children often took their shoes off in the home. Tidy German mothers insisted on slippers. Boys still commonly wore knee socks, but ankle socks became increasingly popular during the decade. Some boys still wore long stockings in the early-1950s, especially in rural areas. They were worn with both long and short oants. By the late 1950s they were less commonly worn, especially with short pants. Tights for boys appeared in the late 1950s.

Headwear

Various caps were worn, but were not very common. Notice that in the group here only one boy wears a cap (figure 1). . Schirmmütze were very popular in the 1940s and early 50s, but rarely seen by the late- 1950s. Stocking or watch caps were popular in the cold winter weather. Normally they were worn with poms by primary-age boys and I think girls as well.

Shirts

Suits

Suits became less common as more casual styles became popular for both school and home. Suits were worn to church or for special occassions like First Communion and Confoirmtion. Designers expeimented with some of the classic styles. We note short sleeve suit jackets (figure 1).

Jackets

Many boys wore suit coats as jackets in the early 1950s, but by the mid-1950s a variety of casual jackets began to be increasingly popular.

Sweaters

Sweaters were one of the most popular fall and winter garments. Many were knitted by grandmothers and mothers, but by the late-50s many were also being purchased ready made. We note that some boys were still wearing their sweaters tucked into their pants, especially in the early-50s. We no longer see boys wearing their belts over their swaters, at least by the end of the decade.

Pants

Short pants still dominated boys' wear, especially in the early-1950s. The street procession here is a god examole of boys stilling short pamts suits when they dressed up (figure 1). Most boys wore shorts, although we increasingly see long pants during the cold winter months. Shirts were bveginning to make a taransition from a all-year garmebt to casual summer wear. Many boys wore suspender shorts. Not all boys wore Lederhosen, but suspender or H-bar shorts were very common. We note one unidentified familiy with all the boys wearing suspender shorts in the early 50s. Lederhosen were widely worn, but still partly regional. And we begin to see more and more boys, even younger boys, wearing long pants as the decade progressed. An Americam import--jeans began to become popular by the end of the decade.

Hosiery

Boys still commonly wore kneesocks. We see both pattertened and plain knee socks. The boys here is a good example of the variety (figure 1). Grey was a common color for the plain kneesocks. White knee socks might be wiorn when dressing up. Ankle socks became increasingly popular during the decade, especially during the summer. . Some boys still wore long stockings in the early 1950s, especially in rural areas. This was the end, however, of a style that German boys had worn for decades. They were worn with both long and short pants. We mo longer see them with a very few exceptions by the end of the decade. By the late 1950s they were less commonly worn, especially with short pants. Tights for boys appeared in the late 1950s, but were not nearly as common as long stickings had been.

Footwear

Boys went barefoot much less commonly as economic conditions improved. We still see many younger boys wearing high-top shoes in he 1940s, but the high tops disappear after the early-50s, eccept for infants and todlers. Most boys wore leather oxfords. We do not see many boys wearing sneakers. We no longer see boys wearing strap shoes. Sandals were popular in the summer. Open-toe sandals were the most common, but some boys wore closed-toe sandals as well, especially in the 1940s and 50s. We begin to see sneakers in the 1950s, but they aere not styled like American sneakes. And we only see low-cut styles. Children often took their shoes off in the home. Tidy German mothers insisted on slippers.

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Created: 1:58 AM 8/19/2013
Last updated: 1:58 AM 8/19/2013