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My name is Thomas. I was born in 1982 in the western part of Germany, in a city called Essen. My mother used to love to dress me up when I was little. A photograph from summer 1985 when I was 3 years old shows me earing a dark blue bib-front shorts outfit with a white shirt and white kneesocks. I began Grundschule (ptrimary school) in 1988 at 6 years of age. My mum often dressed me in collared shirts with short pants and kneesocks. Until I was 10 years old, I often wore short pants, kneesocks and leather shoes to elementary school. (German schools did not have uniforms as were common in Britain.) I often made trips with my parents in the summer holidays. On this occasion I wore sporty and comfortable clothing, like other boys do. On this weekendtrips it was no problem for my parents that I wore sporty shirts and sneakers. Until I was 10 my parents insisted that I wear a short pants suit with kneesocks to church, for example at Easter That was the only situations where I saw other boys wearing similar formal outfits. I was never a Boy Scout. Scouting isn't as popular in Germany as in the United States or Great Britain. I believed, however, that many Catholic boys in Germany were Scouts. We were a Protestant family. I had my confirmation in May 1986. I remember the conflict that I had with my parents, because they were a little bit conservative and wanted me to wear a dark suit with a white shirt and black tie. At this time, it wasn`t modern and trendy for the youth, to wear a suit like that.
My mother used to love to dress me up when I was little. A photograph from summer 1985 when I was 3 years old shows me earing a dark blue bib-front shorts outfit with a white shirt and white kneesocks. I remember that my mum enjoyed dressing me in outfits like that. It looked so cute, she said. I remember that I was often dressed more formal than other boys.
I began Grundschule (primary school) in 1988 at 6 years of age. This image is from my first day at school in Summer 1988. I wore a white shirt, light-blue shorts with a white belt, white kneesocks and brown leather sandals. My mum often dressed me in collared shirts with short pants and kneesocks. Until I was 10 years old, I often wore short pants, kneesocks and leather shoes to elementary school. From spring until autumn I wore often formal short pants, grey oor black in color. Only at Winter or cold days in Autumn or Spring I wore long trousers, sometimes I wore blue jeans. Sometimes in summer my parents alowed me to wear sport shorts and sneakers. No other boy wore similar outfits. Unlike me, the other boys wore casual, sporty clothes like T-shirts, jeans and sneakers. In summer many boys wore sport shorts and sandals, but no other wore kneesocks. Today I think, that I often look like a boy from the 50s or 60s. My classmates teased me about my clothes. I don`t know whether I translate it right, but I think Mummy`s Darling.
My parents always insisted that I dress up for special occassions. One example here was September 1994. The occassion was the 80th birthday of my grandmother.
My grandma as I supose is common for older people was even more conservative than my parents. In addition I was her little cute and only grandson. Because of this and because my parents said I should made grandma happy, I wore this outfit of white polo shirt, grey shorts, white (open-weave) kneesocks and black leather low-cut shoes.
I didn`t like this outfit, especially at family celebrations, because for everyone I was the little cute boy. I was now 12 years old and thought this outfit was more suitable for a younger boy.
We went to church regularly on Sunday. My parents insisted that I dress up. Normally I wore a variety of short pants outfits, depending on the season. Here is a photograph taken for Easter 1995. I think it was made after divine service at sunday. It was the last year that I wore short pants at the easter celebrations. A few days later I had my 13th birthday and got my first long pants suit. Easter and Christmas were important for my family. We celebrated it with the whole family and all relatives.
We visit divine service and met every year at an another member of the family.
I often made trips with my parents in the summer holidays. On this occasion I wore sporty and comfortable clothing, like other boys do. On this weekendtrips it was no problem for my parents that I wore sporty shirts and sneakers. They allowed it. These image was made in 1996 at our holiday-trip to the North Sea. I wore a black T-shirt, red jogging trousers and white sneakers. Most boys wore similar clothing at holidays, some wore short pants at warm wheather. Me too.
Until I was 10 my parents insisted that I wear a short pants suit with kneesocks to church, for example at Easter That was the only situations where I saw other boys wearing similar formal outfits. My short pants suits, they were very formal. Often dark colored, black or grey. I don`t know, whether they`re special names for that kind of suit I wore. They were not Eton suits without lapels like American boys wore. My suits were made with lapels. I often wore them for formal occasions with a tie or a bow-tie. I had both short pants suits and blazers which I wore with matching and contrasting short pants. I remember that one of suits was very old. It was a dark grey short pants suit that mother got from my uncle. He had worn it when he was a little boy during the 1960s.
I wore only solid color kneesocks with my short pants suit, most white, black, grey or darkblue, matching the color of the suit. I remember the last day I wore a short pants outfit for a wedding when I was 12 years old in 1994. I wore a dark blueblazer, white shirt, darkblue and grey striped tie, and grey short pants. The kneesocks were white and I wore black patent leather slipon (loafer) shoes. I didn`t like these formal outfit, especially as I got older. I particularly objected to the kneesocks.
I discussed my clothing with my parents. I told them I did not like to wear short pants and kneesocks. My parents, however, wanted me to dress like that and as a little boy I obeyed my parents. When I became older(10-11 years) and went to secondary school, schoolmates especially the older boys teased me more and became more rude because of my short pants and kneesocks. I told you. At this time I refused, to wear shorts and kneesocks to school again. My parents couldn't really understand this and were of the
opinion that I should wear short pants and kneesocks until I become 14. But we made a compromise. In summer or on hot days I should continue wear short pants, but I don`t have to wear kneesocks. Besides I don`t continue wear suits to school. This was OK for me.
When I became 13 my parents allowed me to choose my own clothing on my own.
My friends asked me often about my short pants and kneesocks and they said
that it didn`t look good. They never wore them like I did, but some had to wear shorts and kneesovks for church or other formal occasions.
When I was 13 years old in 1995, I got my first long pants suit. It was a present from my conservative parents for my 13th birthday. Besides I got black patent leather shoes and black silk kneesocks for a more elegant look. I wore these suit at the sunday devine service, weddings or at burials. First I Didn`t like to wear it, but with the time I enjoyed it more and more. Until my confirmation. My parents wanted me to wear a similar
suit, but me as a 14 years old teenager rebel against my parents and we found a compromise.
I was never a Boy Scout. Scouting isn't as popular in Germany as in the United States or Great Britain. I believed, however, that many Catholic boys in Germany were Scouts.
We were a Protestant family. I did not have a First Communion. Among Protestants in Germany, confirmation is the first ceremony to become a full member of the parish. Only the Catholic children had the first communion at the age of 9 or 10. I had my confirmation in May 1986. Similar to the protestantic confirmation at the age of 14 or 15, is the catholic "Firmung". I remember the conflict that I had with my parents, because they were a little bit conservative and wanted me to wear a dark suit with a white shirt and black tie. At this time, it wasn`t modern and trendy for the youth, to wear a suit like that.
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