Figure 1.--Here we see a natially dressed Swedish family. All we know for sure was that photograph was taken in 1925. Yjerecare three boys. The ywo infront look to be about 8-11 years old. There is a third boy,located in the rear. He does not look older than the boys in the front, but given the way he is dressed, he probanly is about 13 years old. The two boys in front wear matching summer sailor suits with knee pants and long stockings. The long stockings here were probably worn for formality rather than warmth. The sailor suits look like the suits worn in Germany at the time, except for the hats. The scarves are also done slightly differently. We are not sure just where the photograph was taken. It looks like a field in the background which might suggest a farm family. There has to be a house nearby somewhere where they got the chair. We note quite a few boys wearing sailor suits even un rurl settings. This sometimes is city kids visiting visiting the grandparent. Gere this may be an actual farm family. This may explain the somewhat inappropriate hats.

We have more information on Sweden during the 20th century. We continue to see many similarities between Swedish and German family and fashion trends, especially during the early 20th century. The urban population was growing, but much of it still had rural roots. There continued to be a substantial rural population which had not yet mechanized. Many urban families would take the kids to see the grandparents during the summer or end there for a few weeks. Sailor suits continued to be very popular for boys into the interwar era. Boys commonly wore knee pants, mostly with long stockings except for the summer. Children in the country often went barefoot during the summer. We eee many boys wearing short pants which tended to replace knee pants during the 1920s. Perhaps because of the climate knickers were akso important and we cintinue to see them after World War II into the 1950s. As the population shifted from the country=side to the citues e begin to see smaller famikies become more common.

The 1910s

Unidentified family (late-1910s)

These Swedish siblings look to have been photographed during the 1910s, probably the late 10s. We would be tempted to say 1920 except that the boy's knee trousers are a bit longish for the 1920s. Notice that all the girls are dressed alike. The fact that the same checked material has been used suggests that the dresses were home made by their mother. The two older girls have dark hair bows. We are not sure about the color. The boy's sailor suit is a tradituiionally styled sailor suit with knee pants and black long stockings. The boy looks to me about 10-11 years old. Notice the oval family photos on the wall behind the children.

The 1920s

Unidentified family (1925)

Here we see a natially dressed Swedish family (figure 1). All we know for sure was that photograph was taken in 1925. There are three boys. The two infront look to be about 8-11 years old. There is a third boy,located in the rear. He does not look older than the boys in the front, but given the way he is dressed, he probably is about 13 years old. The two boys in front wear matching summer sailor suits with knee pants and long stockings. The long stockings here were probably worn for formality rather than warmth. The sailor suits look like the suits worn in Germany at the time, except for the hats. The scarves are also done slightly differently. We are not sure just where the photograph was taken. It looks like a field in the background which might suggest a farm family. There has to be a house nearby somewhere where they got the chair. We note quite a few boys wearing sailor suits even un rurl settings. This sometimes is city kids visiting visiting the grandparent. Gere this may be an actual farm family. This may explain the somewhat inappropriate hats.

Swedish brothers (1920s)

This photograph shows three Sweedish brothers posing at home, perhaps in Skockholm, although we aren't certain of the precise location. The photograph is not dated, butv looks like the 1920s ti us. The boys seem to be about 8/9, 11, and 14 years old respectively. The youngest boy is dressed in a summer sailor suit (probably with long black stockings as was the usual style). The middle boy looks about 11 and is wearing a white shirt and bow tie (also probably with short trousers and long stockings). The older 14 year-old is dressed more like an adult with double breasted dark suit, white shirt and tie except forthe short trousers, also worn with black long stockings. The age-grading is interesting here with clothing appropriate to the boys'age. The oldest boy is almost grown up but his status as a child is maintained here by the short trousers and long stockings. In a year of two he will probably graduate to long trousers. We suspect this photo was taken in a rather affluent, upper-class family, probably by the father of the three boys.

The 1930s

Unidentified farm family (1930)

An unidentified farm family had their portrait taken during the summer of 1930. We do not have the name of the family, but they lived in Vigge, a village about 500 km north of Stockholm. The family was a good sized one with nine children and grandmother. From the age of the children, the family is still growing. It looks like mother made the clothes, at least the girls' clothes. She and a daughter wear dresses made from the same material. The children wear very basic clothes abd go barefoot which was probably common at the time in rural Sweden.

Unidentified farm family (1936)

We see a charming image of a Swedish farm family in 1936 on the previous page. It looks to be a Summer scene. The children are pictured on a wagon in front of their home. The lone girl wears a dress and looks to have four younger brothers. That must have been a challenge. All four boys in different ages wear light-colored long stockings. As the weather looks warm, the stockings seem to be worn for formality rather than warmth. They all wear sandals. In this family the sailor suit was for one of the younger boys. We have noted other boys much older wearing sailor suits in the 1930s, although less so than in the 20s. Note the very long short pants.

Unidentified father and son (1937)

The only thing we know about this photo is that it was taken in Sweden during 1937 and that the boy's name is "Nisse". (This was the name of a character from Scandanavian folklore.) It seems to be a chilly spring or fall day. Father is taking his young son (about 5) for a ride on his bike. The boy is obviously wearing short trousers under his double breasted overcoat. Note the long beige stockings and low-cut shoes typical of boys' dress in northern Europe during the 1930s. The boy wears a woolen peaked cap. Perhaps an addition to Swedish boys' clothes with perhaps a link to bicycle-riding.

The 1940s

Unidentified family

This is a middle class Swedish family photographed in 1940 on the doorstep of their house. We are not sure if it is a country or small town home, but it does not appear to be in a city. We don't know the exact location. There are so many children at about the same age that we think a few must be neighbors or else close relatives. All the children seem to be wearing long stockings, although we are not sure about the oldest boy (about 13 years old or so) who is wearing rather long knickers. We do not know if he is wearng long stckings or knee socks. Hard to think of this photo as a wartime scene even though 1940 is the date and the Germans had already launched the war by invading Poland and nearby Denmark and Poland. Sweden managed to remain neutral during the War. This family looks reasonably prosperous, but although not invaded, Sweden sufered economically during the War as they could only trade with Germany. Notice that at least two of the boys are wearing white shirts and ties. The two youngest boys wear short pants. One of the boys wears H-bar shorts.

Unidentified brother and sister (1940)

Here we see a photograph of a brother and sister. The children are unidentified, but the boy is 5 years old and the girl is 11 years old. The photograph was taken in the Summer of 1940. The little boy wears long short pants with tan long stovkings. His sister wrears a print dress with kneesocks.

The 1950s

Family Christmas (1950)

Here we see a photograph of a Swedish family at home for the Christmas holiday. Ther Christmas of course tells us that itis Chrisdtmas. Notice the Swedish flag decoration. It looks like Christmas is being celebrated at the grandparents hous. There are four boys, probably brothers or cousins. The two younger boys wear similar outfits. Curiously one boy has plain suspender shorts while his brother wears H-bar shorts. Both wear ribbed long stockings, but notice they end at the ankles. We are not sure what kind of socks they are wearing underneath. As was common in Gerrmsany, the boys take off their shoes when they come nsude and wear slippers or just their stockings. The older two boys wear knickers suit. They have pins in their lapels. I think the heavy socks are put on instead oif slippers, but were not worn outside.

Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits] [Knicker suits] [Short pants suits] [Socks] [Eton suits] [Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer] [School sandals] [School smocks] [Sailor suits] [Pinafores] [Long stockings]

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Created: 2:45 AM 6/4/2012
Last updated: 3:03 AM 7/28/2013