German Boys' Clothes: Garments--Underwear


Figure 1.-- Here is a painting by Swedish artist Carl Larsson of hus daughter Lisbeth Larsson (born 1891). It would have been painted about 1900. It is a little complicated. I don't fully understand the garments shown. Many of the garments for younger boys and girls I think would have been similar.

We have very limited information on German boys' underwear at this time. Younger boys and girls in the 19th century might wear pantalettes, especiall with dresses. We note novelty post cards in the early 20th century which usually show boys wearing Hemdhosen as underwear and girls Leibchen with Unterhose buttoned on. German readers tell us that this seems a reasonable depiction of popular trends. A French reader writes, " I didn't know what exactly the German boys were wearing before World War II. After the War, the underwear worn by German boys was like that worn by rural boys in France. We called caleçon court. French city boys rediculed this garment. When I was teanager all my German and Austrian friends wore underwear almost alike the French ones." German boys wore long stockings more than French children. Thus stocking supporters were a more important aspect of underwear in German than in France. Here the Leibchen was particularly important. A French reader tells us, "'Ein Leibchen' is a Austrian word and in the 1950s many boys were wearing a Leibchen which were similar to those being born in worn in France. It is a sort of untershirt with a large open collar without sleeves and quite long, made in white coton, very offten ribbed. After 1930, most French boys were wearing this sort of underwear It was named " un maillot de corps ". Now we said 'un maillot de corps Marcel'. In Germany one says, 'Ein Unterhemd and not a ein Leibchen'." A reader writes, "I think the outfit she is wearing is a day gown (basically an undershirt but much longer), over which she is wearing a garter waist attached to the garter waist are pantelettes and long black stockings. The pantelettes are the open back style. Long black stockings are also attached to the garter waist but on the inside. There are some types that were advertised that the garters can be worn inside or outside."

Chronology

We have very limited information on German boys' underwear at this time, especially during the 19th century. Younger boys and girls in the 19th century might wear pantalettes, especiall with dresses. We note novelty post cards in the early 20th century which usually show boys wearing Hemdhosen as underwear and girls Leibchen with Unterhose buttoned on. German readers tell us that this seems a reasonable depiction of popular trends. A French reader writes, " I didn't know what exactly the German boys were wearing before World War II. After the War, the underwear worn by German boys was like that worn by rural boys in France. We called caleçon court. French city boys rediculed this garment. When I was teanager all my German and Austrian friends wore underwear almost alike the French ones." German boys wore long stockings more than French children. Thus stocking supporters were a more important aspect of underwear in German than in France. Here the Leibchen was particularly important.

Garments

A French reader tells us, "'Ein Leibchen' is a Austrian word and in the 1950s many boys were wearing a Leibchen which were similar to those being born in worn in France. It is a sort of untershirt with a large open collar without sleeves and quite long, made in white coton, very offten ribbed. After 1930, most French boys were wearing this sort of underwear It was named " un maillot de corps ". Now we said 'un maillot de corps Marcel'. In Germany one says, 'Ein Unterhemd and not a ein Leibchen'." A reader writes, "I think the outfit she is wearing is a day gown (basically an undershirt but much longer), over which she is wearing a garter waist attached to the garter waist are pantelettes and long black stockings. The pantelettes are the open back style. Long black stockings are also attached to the garter waist but on the inside. There are some types that were advertised that the garters can be worn inside or outside. "





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Created: December 5, 2003
Last updated: 5:29 PM 1/12/2012