German Short Pants Length: Chronology


Figure 1.--This unidentified German boy with his bike wears short cut short pants, a style that begame popular in the late-1960s. This snap shot was probably taken in the early-1970s as color photography was bcoming standard. Note the red socks and open-toe sandals. The shorter-style shorts were becoming standard throught Europe, but the open-toe sandals were typically German. Note that he is not weraring knee socks which were once very common in Germany. Note that he has buttoned his collar button, something some mothers still insisted that boys should do.

The length of short pants worn by German boys have varied over time. We see a few examples in the qoth century photographic record, but at this time have very little information. Short pants and knee pants were very common in the early-20th century, at least for younger boys. They were generally worn at knee length, rather like knee pants. For several years they were essentially the same length as knee pants. The only real difference at first was the decorative buttons at the knee hem. It is often difficult to destinguish between short pants and knee pants. They at first like knee pants were quite long. This is logically as shorts esentially developed from 19th century knee pants. Short pants began to be more commly worn at the end of the century. And we see older boys weating them beginning with the Wandervogel before the turn of the century and then the Scouts and other youth groups after the turn of the century. The boys wore long knee-length shorys. The length of shorts began to change after World War I (1914-18). The length gradually began to become shorter, although still generally long in the early-1930s. Short pants were very commonly worn by Germam boys including some older teenagers. Short pants were most common during the inter-War period and post-War period. Most boys during this period wore short pants until about 15 years of age, although this varied from family to family. Age does not seem to have affected length. The 1930s was a variable decade. Boys increasingly were wearing shorter-cut shorts, althogh we also see some boys wearing knee-length shorts. Most boys by the 1940s were wearing shorts well above the knee. We no longer see the longer-cut shorts of the early-20th century. Some older boys wore rather short shorts, basically shorts they had outgrown. Clothing was in short supply during the immediate post-War era and economic conditions desperate. Familes had little money even for food and other basics. Boys mostly wore mid-length shorts in the 1950s ad 60s. Many boys still wore shorts, comonly very brief cut shorts in the 1970s and 80s. By this time shorts had become primarly casual, summer wear. Short pants appeared in the late 19th century, they were initially worn by younger boys. German boys by the 1960s were increasinly wearing long pants, especially teenagers. Here the appearance of jeans had a major impact. Shorts egan to decline in popularity in the late-1950s, especially as ordinary or dress-wear. As in other European countries they began in the 1960s to be seen as casual summer wear. Shorter cut shorts appeared in the 1960s. They were widely worn in the 1970s and early-80s. Bu the late-80s we begin to see longer cut shorts. And in the early-21st century we see some boys extremely long shorts cut at lengths below the knee.

The 19th Century

We see a few examples in the qoth century photographic record, but at this time have very little information.

The 20th Century

Short pants and knee pants were very common in the early-20th century, at least for younger boys. They were generally worn at knee length, rather like knee pants. For several years they were essentially the same length as knee pants. The only real difference at first was the decorative buttons at the knee hem. It is often difficult to destinguish between short pants and knee pants. They at first like knee pants were quite long. This is logically as shorts esentially developed from 19th century knee pants. Short pants began to be more commly worn at the end of the century. And we see older boys weating them beginning with the Wandervogel before the turn of the century and then the Scouts and other youth groups after the turn of the century. The boys wore long knee-length shorys. The length of shorts began to change after World War I (1914-18). The length gradually began to become shorter, although still generally long in the early-1930s. Short pants were very commonly worn by Germam boys including some older teenagers. Short pants were most common during the inter-War period and post-War period. Most boys during this period wore short pants until about 15 years of age, although this varied from family to family. Age does not seem to have affected length. The 1930s was a variable decade. Boys increasingly were wearing shorter-cut shorts, althogh we also see some boys wearing knee-length shorts. Most boys by the 1940s were wearing shorts well above the knee. We no longer see the longer-cut shorts of the early-20th century. Some older boys wore rather short shorts, basically shorts they had outgrown. Clothing was in short supply during the immediate post-War era and economic conditions desperate. Familes had little money even for food and other basics. Boys mostly wore mid-length shorts in the 1950s ad 60s. Many boys still wore shorts, comonly very brief cut shorts in the 1970s and 80s. By this time shorts had become primarly casual, summer wear. Short pants appeared in the late 19th century, they were initially worn by younger boys. German boys by the 1960s were increasinly wearing long pants, especially teenagers. Here the appearance of jeans had a major impact. Shorts egan to decline in popularity in the late 1950s, especially as ordinary or dress-wear. As in other European countries they began in the 1960s to be seen as casual summer wear. Shorter cut shorts appeared in the 1960s. They were widely worn in the 1970s and early-80s. Bu the late-80s we begin to see longer cut shorts.

The 21st Century

German boys in the early-21st century yrnded to wear long, baggy shorts. We see some boys extremely long shorts cut at lengths below the knee.






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Created: 7:35 AM 10/8/2013
Last updated: 7:35 AM 10/8/2013