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We first note short pants suits in the 1920s after World War I. Actually early short pants and kneepants suits were quite similar in that short pants at the time were only sligtly shorter than knee pants. Short pants did not have the three button trim at the leg hem. In the United States and Britain the destinction between short pants and knee pants was more obvious because short pants were generally worn with knee socks and knee pants with long stockings. This destinction was less useful in Germany where long stockings were much more common. Short pants suits were very common for boys in the 1930s, although the increasing importance of the Hitler Youth program there was somewhat less need for suits. (One effort of the HJ for example was to discourage family church attendance.) Boys often wore short pants suits to about age 14 when they began wearing knicker or longpants suits. This varies somewhat from family to family and some boys wore short pants suits beyond age 14. After World War II, Gemany was in a terrible state and few families had much money for clothing. Many German boys continued wearing their suits after they had rather grown out of them. Many boys srill wore short pants suits in the 1950s, often with sports shirts or with an open collar. Catholic boys common wore short pants suits earily for their First Communions. By the 1960s, boys were increasingly wearing long pants suits, although suits were being worn less than before as German boys increasingly turned to more casual fashions. Boys over time wore different kinds of hosiery with short pants suits.
We first note short pants suits in the 1920s after World War I. Actually early short pants and knee pants suits were quite similar in that short pants at the time were esentially the same length as knee pants, but without the ornamental buttons at the knee hem. We see both short pants and knee pants in the 20s. Short pants suits were very common for boys in the 1930s, and begun to be cutb at shorter lengths. We see some suits done with knee pantss, apparently for formality. Boys wore short pants suits into their earlyb teens. The age of switching fom shorts to longs or knickers varies somewhat from family to family. Age 15 years was common wuth many families. The increasing importance of the Hitler Youth program has a range of effects. Short pants became standard and knee pants much less common. And there was less need for suits. (One effort of the HJ for example was to discourage family church attendance.) We still see short pants suits in th 40s and 50s, although dress had become more informal. Younger teens wre still wearing short pants suits in the 50s, at last the early-50s. Many boys still wore short pants suits in the 1950s, often with sports shirts or with an open collar. By the 1960s, boys were increasingly wearing long pants suits, although suits were being worn less than before as German boys increasingly turned to more casual fashions. We only see younger boys wearing short pants suits by the 70s and we see fewer boys wearing shorts duringh the winter months.
Short pants did not have the three button trim at the leg hem. In the United States and Britain the destinction between short pants and knee pants was more obvious because short pants were generally worn with knee socks and kneepants with long stockings. This destinction was less useful in Germany where long stockings were much more common.
We see German boys of many ages wearing short pants suits from about 5-15 years of age. Even older boys wore them, but it is much less common for boys older than 15-16 years of age to wear them. Here families had different ideas about appropriateness. There were social-class differences. The age that boys wore short pants suits also varied to some degree chronologically. Boys often wore short pants suits to about age 14 when they began wearing knicker or long pants suits. This varies somewhat from family to family and some boys wore short pants suits beyond age 14. After World War II, Gemany was in a terrible state and few families had much money for clothing. Many German boys continued wearing their suits after they had rather grown out of them. After the 1960s you normally only see rather young boys wearing short pants suits.
We note German boys wearing short pants suits with a vsariety of neckwear. The most popular neckwear was neckties. we see some boys wearing string ties. Bowties were not very common. Many boys wore open-neck shirts like Schiller collar styles. Other boys wore both casual and dress shirts without neckwear, but buttoned their collars. While we see a lot of boys with shiller collars, if a shirt had a collar button, German boys often buttoned it. Presumably this was something that parents insisted on, which seems a little strange with a casual shirt.
Catholic boys common wore short pants suits earily for their First Communions. A major event for Protesant boys was Confirmation. Many families purchased a new suit for their sons to be worn for the Confirmation ceremony. This was normally done at about age 13 years. Families varied as to whether this would be a short or long pants suit. The choice also varied over time.
Boys over time wore different kinds of hosiery with short pants suits. We note boys wearing mostly knee socks, but quite a few younger boys wore long stockings, especially during the winter. THis varied from family to family. Boys up to about 11 or 12 might wear long stocking during the winter, but it was less common for older boys. After World War II, long stockings began to become less common, and essentially disappered after the mid-50s. We also see boys began wearing ankle socks with short pants suits. This became increasingly common. Kee socks declined in popularity during the 1960s.
We have not noticed boys wearing tights with short pants suirs, primsarily because by the tights appeared, German boys were less commonly wearing short pants suits.
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