Figure 1.--These boys playing football (soccer) in Rotterdam wear a wide variety of different fashions. All the boys wear shorts, but widely different cits and with a range of different kneesocks. The photgraph was taken by noted Dutch photographer Ed van Wijk.

Knit outfits were popular for younger boys in the late 1940s an 1950s. Rather modern looking shirts were worn, in a range of colors. Some boys wore white shirts, but many wore brightly checkered colored shirts. Sweaters were very popular, especially sleeveless sweaters. Knickers were still worn in the early 1950s, but by the mid-50s had began to disappear. During the 1950s boys still commonly wore shorts, although long pants became increasingly common in the winter months. Hair styles were routienly short. Clarly football (soccer) was the most popular sport. A Dutch reader tells us, "Today is special to most Dutchmen: On February 1, 1953, spring tide and storm winds sweeping the North Sea combined to produce one of the biggest disasters ever in Holland and Flanders."

Styles

Knit outfits were popular for younger boys in the late 1940s an 1950s. Rather modern looking shirts were worn, in a range of colors. Some boys wore white shirts, but many wore brightly checkered colored shirts. Sweaters were very popular, especially sleeveless sweaters. Knickers were still worn in the early 1950s, but by the mid-50s had began to disappear. During the 1950s boys still commonly wore shorts, although long pants became increasingly common in the winter months. Quite a range of shorts were worn, from brief cut shorts to very longs ones--often purchased by mother to allow for growth. Some boys still wore suspender shorts, but these were becoming less popular, except for younger boys. Boys still commonly wore kneeesocks. Patterened kneesocks seem to have been popular, I think for the boys than the girls. Some were still knitted by grandmother. Leather shoes or sandals were still common and smeakers were not yet a fashion statement.

Hair Styles

Hair styles were routienly short. There were variatioins. Some boys had the hair clipped all off the side, a kind of short basvk nd sides. Other boys had hair on the sides, but usually clipped well around the ears.

Activities

Clarly football (soccer) was the most popular sport. The image here was taken in front of the famous Van Nelle's Koffie-, Thee- en Tabakfabriek, a landmark in 20th century Dutch architecture (1926, architects Brinkman & van der Vlugt). Bikes were very popular and by the 1950s the economy had recovered to the extent that most boys had them.

1953 Floods

A Dutch reader tells us, "Today is special to most Dutchmen: On February 1, 1953, spring tide and storm winds sweeping the North Sea combined to produce one of the biggest disasters ever in Holland and Flanders. The resulting floods were the largest since the infamous All Saints’ Flood of 1570 and hit the Scheldt, Maas and Rhine river delta in the southwestern part of the Netherlands and adjoining areas in the Belgian provinces of East-Flanders and Antwerp. In the Netherlands 1835 people died, some twenty thousand cattle drowned, 4,500 houses were completely destroyed, 200,000 acres of farmland were flooded. For days on end, people sat in treetops and attics, often without food and sparsely clothed, while the storm raged and the swirling watrers carried drowned bodies, livestock and furniture out to the North Sea. More than 40,000 houses became uninhabitable and 72,000 people had to be evacuated."

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Created: November 16, 2001
Last updated: September 9, 2003