Figure 1.-- This unidentified German boy just after Workd War I in 1920 wears a Norfolk suit and Schiller collar. Botice that the Norfolk elements are not as pronounced as we see earlier. Ot is difficult to classify this as either a knee pants or a short pants suit. This boy looks to be about 12-13 years old. The photograph is also an interesting view of a German living room at the time.

Collar-buttoning jackets went out of style for boys' suits by the 1920s. We mostly see single-breasted suits, but there were some double-breasted suits as well. Norfolk styling continued to be popular in the 1920s, but was going out of style by the end of the decade. An option for boys and even younger teenagers were sailor suits. Many boys continued wore open-collar Schiller collars rather than ties with suits during the 1920s. After World War I, short pants became increasingly common, but knee pants were also still common. Most boys and younger teenagers wore either short pants or knicker suits. Knickers suits were not very common for boys. Teenagers might wear knicker suits by their mid-teens and then long pants suits by their late teens. The precise timing of these shifts varies from family to damily. Knickers might be worn with knee socks, but long stockings were common with short pants. The choice of hosiery varied from family to family and depended on age, sason, and formality.

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Created: 3:25 AM 8/19/2010
Last updated: 3:25 AM 8/19/2010