Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait is undated, but the mount style and the whicker furniture suggest it was taken in the carly-1900s decade. The boys look to be about 4-6 yeras old. The younger boy wears a sailor suit with ringlet curls. In the 19th and early-20tyh century, long stockings were more common than socks, even for younger boys. His brother wears a blouse with knee pants. The floppy bow was smaller than was common in the 1890s. The studio aws Woinstead in Wilson, North Carolina.

You can follow American 20th century fashion developments on a decade to decade basis. And with the 20th century abd the appearance of the family snapshot we have far more information than ever before. And we even have personal dedscriptions of the various decdes and fashions involved. Here you can go directly to the decade in which you are interestred without passing through the various period page. This permits more precision than the era discussions above. `Some decades were closely related with only minor differences which we discuss in the century periods above. But there are important changes and characteristic depatures in each individual decades, some more than others. Here you can easily follow decade to decade developments. Fashion by the mid-19th century has become very formal and that only increased as the rest of the century progreassed. This began to change with the advent of the 2oth century. Fashion was still formal in the early-1900s, but then began to become increasingly informal for the rest of the cenryury. We still see many boiys wearing suits in the early decades of the 20th century, but with each decade we see fewer and fewer suits. By the end if the century, erearing a colared shirt became seen as formal wear. European fashions were still influential at the beginning if the century. After World War II, American fashions becagan influencung Europoe as well as Asia.

The 1900s

Many popular late-19th Century fashions continued to be worn in the Edwardian era. Fauntleroy suits and sailor suits continued popular. The tunic styles of Russian blouses and Buster Brown suits became especially popular. Many boys who might have worn dresses in an earlier era wore the new tunic style. The shorter Buster Brown bangs was all the rage, in part repacing the ringlet curls previously worn my many boys. Boys clothing styles in the 1900s were little changed from the 1890s, but there were differences. Special boys' dresses were increasingly advertised as opposed to generic children's dresses for boys and girls. Fauntleroy suits increasingly were worn with ruffled rather than lace collars. More boys were wearing knickers rarher than knee pants with long stockings.

The !910s

Fauntleroy suits began to be worn with ruffled rather than lace collars and declined in popularity. Sailor suits, however, continued popular. Knickers and short pants began replacing the kneepants worn for several decades. Uncomfortable long stockings were increasingly replaced with socks, often three-quarter length socks. Rompers became very popular for younger boys. The practice of outfitting boys in dresses, however, began to decline in popularity. Little American boys were less commonly outfitted in dresses, especially beyond the toddler age. Rompers had become very popular for younger boys. A boy's dress party suit was now less likely to be a Faintleroy suit. Kilt suits were also less commonly worn. Some boys wore kneepants with long stockings for formal occasions, but most boys best suit was now a knicker suit. Long stockings were still worn as the knickers were usually worn above the knee.

The 1920s

A dramatic change occurred in the clothes worn by America boys after the First World War which ended in 1918. Dresses and kilt suits for younger boys dissappeared as did Fauntleroy suits and kilts during the 1920s. Dramatic changes in fashion were perhaps inevitable after the horrors of the War, but just why these fashions disappeared is not fully understood. Sailor suits were still worn, but mostly by younger boys. Knee pants disappeared entirely. Some boys wore the new short pants with kneesocks imported from England, but knickers proved much more popular in America. More informal fashions began to appear in the 1920s. Boys continued to dress more formally than is common today, but much less formally than at the turn of the century. American boys mostly wore knicker suits. Suits and jackets were still more commonly worn than today. Double breasted styles were popular, but single breasted jackets the most common. Parents generally purchased patterned kneesocks for boys, although some boys wore ankle socks during the summer. What Americans now refer to as Eton suits for little boys appeared for the first time in the 1920s. Younger boys were the most likely to wear short pants. They were most common with affluent families which were more apt to follow English and other European styles. Shorts were most common in the Southern states and California. A variety of play clothes for little boys such as rompers and coveralls were also worn. Most older boys wore knickers for both school and play. In the early 1920s knickers were worn with long stockings or kneesocks, but by the 1930s it became common to wear them with ankle socks--especially during the summer. Overalls were commonly worn by rural boys, but city boys had not yet begun to wear what we now call jeans. Caps and hats were commonly worn by both men and boys.

The 1930s

There were not a lot of new fashions appearing in the 1930s, perhaps because the Great Depressin following the 1929 stock market crash caused many families to retrench. Several fashions, however, evolved during the decade and the fround work was set for the American boy's big leap to long trousers in the 1940s. The standard for boys was that younger boys wore short pants and older boys wore knickers. Once boys began senior high school they generlly began wearing long pants. Overalls were common for boys of all ages in rural America. Some destinctive 1930s styles were "T"-shirts, leather high top boots (with a pocket for a Scout Knife), leather fleece lined jackets, corduroy knickers and leather aviator helmets with goggles.

The 1940s

The 1940s were a key decade in the evolution of modern children's clothes. Few decades showed such sharp change in boys' fashions as the 1940s. Major changes occurred in boys' fashions during the decade as so often is the case following major wars and other social upheavel. The decade was one of the most significant periods in the history of boys' fashions. Boys still wore knickers and short pants at the beginning of the decade. By the end of the decade, however, knickers had disappeared and most boys were clammering for long pants. Not only that, two of the most important fashions in boys clothes appeared in the years after the war. Boys began wearing "T" shirts with bright horizontal stripes. Jeans also appeared at the same time. These staples are now worn by boys by virtually every nation around the world. Kneesocks disappeared except for formal dress short pants suits and even with suits ankle socks were common.

The 1950s

Fashion trends in the 1950s were primarily a continuation of the trends initiated in the 1940s. Suits were much less common. Madras and searsucker jackets were popular. They were part of the preppy fashions of button-down shirts, chinos, and loafers that swept American college campuses. Jeans were just becoming popular in Urban America. The 1950s were the decade that jeans really became accepted. Most boys virtually lived in jeans. It became much less common to wear short pants. Little boys commonly wore Eton suits. Strangely while younger boys turned away from shorts, older boys on collehe campuses began wearing casual shorts--usually Bermudas. We see shorts in different materials, including madras and searsucker. Elementary boys began wearing jeans to school, but they weren't allowed in high schools. Hair-cuts were short, often military-style "crew-cuts." Boys in some wore short pants, at least until they were 11 or so, but most American boys except when they were very small wore long pants. Some boys wore long pants for school and play, but had a short pants suit for church. For most boys long pants were a symbol of manhood and they wanted them as soon as possible. Few radical new styles were introduced in the 1950s. Continuing the trend set in the 1940s, fewer older boys now wore short pants suits, it had become a style for younger boys. Jeans had become a virtual uniform for the American boy. Interesingly, they were never worn as jean short pants--always longs. They had not yet gained, respectability, however, as were no worn--except by young boys to school or social events. "T"-shirts with bold horizontal stripes were the most common summer garment with jeans. Boys wear their hair short, crew cuts were popular. Elvis' side burns were the first step in introducing longer hair. The 1950s had shaggy beatnicks, but they had nothing like the influence of the hippies in the 1960s. The 1950s for most Americans were a peaceful interlude of certainties before the 1960s with the Civil Rights movement and War in Vietnam. Thus there were no bold new fashion iniatives as is often the case in settled times.

The 1960s

The 1960s for middle class Americans were those now so innocent seeming, yet turbulent years. All elements of American life began "heating up" in the 1960s. And the 60s along with the 20s are the two most remembered decades of the 20th century. Important changes occurred in boys' fashions during the 1960s. The decade set many important fashion trends. It was the last decade in which American boys, except for very young boys, wore short pants suits. Shortalls became popular for little boys. Younger boys wore Eton suits with suspender shorts. Older boys wore short pants suits with adult-styled jackets. Black or navy blue were particularly popular colors. While dressy shorts were going out of style, shorts for play and casual wear were becoming very popular. Boys began wearing cutoffs when their jeans needed patches--usually at the knee. Mother just cut them down. The preppylook of the 1950s continued popular for older boys. Jeans became increasingly common and by thee nd of the decade had even began to gain respectability. "T"-shirts were everywhere. The Beatles and the War in Vietnam had a huge impact on fashion. Boys began wearing longer hair. The hippies had replaced the 'beatnicks' of the 1950s and had begun to make a fashion statement.

The 1970s

The 1960s was the decade of the Hippies in America. In the 1970s the hippies put polyester. Major changed occurred in boys clothing in the 1970s. Probably more bizzare chldren's and teen fashions emerged during the 1970s than in any other decade. Bell-bottom jeans were thein thing. While polyester ruled, jeans began to move into the cutural mainstream and became fashionable. The move since the 1920s had been to casual clothing. Casual clothing by the 1970s finally became increasingly acceptable in a variety of social occasions that one required more formal dress. All kinds of jeans were worn and they emerged as fashion statements. Children eventually demanded designer jeans. Other insisted on buying jeans that looked worn or even torn. The "T" shirt emerged as a major fashion, especially ones with statesments, logos, or athletic or music group images. Boys in the 1970s, no longer dressed up in short pants and kneesocks, except for the very youngest and even younger boys wanted longs by the 1980s. While boys didn't want to dress up in short pants, they increasingly wanted to wear shorts for casual wear. Many differnt kinds of shorts appeared, cutoffs, runnng shorts, OPs, camp shorts and others. Many boys wore cutoffs that would not wear any other type of shorts. Not only were more boys wearing shorts, but the Bermudas of the 1960s gave way to a popular shorter length.

The 1980s

We notice a wide range of popular fashions during the 1980s. Boys no longer dressed up lke they once did, except for very special occassions. We note a range of casual dresy styles, but casua; clothinghad become standard for most boys. And there were a wide range of casual styles. Denim was the most fashionable fabrc. And you could find just anout anything made in demim. Some of the most popular items were acid washed jeans and jean jackets. we also see parachute pants and high top shoes. T-shirts became highly fshionable. Wealso see preppie styles making a comeback. Popular preppie items included Izod shirts (possibly worn with the collar up), dress slaacks, and penny loafers. Fashionable teenagers might wear a baggy blazer with the sleeves rolled up. The idea was to dress up a bit, but in a way that looked casual. One fashion experts claims thst there was an idea to show individuality. The decade began with loud, big, gaudy and bright clothes,but this had declined by the ed of the decade.

The 1990s

Created: 5:41 AM 9/25/2020
Last updated: 6:49 PM 5/22/2022