Figure 1.--This fun 1920s family snapshot shows the younger boys wearing short psnts and the older boys wearing knickers and lomg stockings. Note that even though it is summer, the boys are wearing long-sleeved shirts. .

Garments worn in the inter-war years often had a destinctive look, but appear increasingly modern to our fashion sence today. The decade began with the flat cap still very popular,m but was going out of style by the 1930s. Not other single style replaced it. We notgice varuous winter caps. Headwear in general waa declining in popularity, but still worn to a much greater degree than today. Boys continued to dress more formally than is common today. 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. White only vaguely related to the actual Eron suit and jacket, it became a very popular style for ypunger American boys by the 1950s. In the 1920s and 30s it was mostly worn bu boys from affluent families. We see a range of pants during the inter-war years. Knickers were the dominant type of pants during the 1920s. Younger boys might wear short pants. This shifted somewhat in the 1930s. Knickers were still worn, bur steadily declined in popularity through the 1930s. We see more boys wearing short pants, but this was complicated. Shorts became increasingly popular for summer wear. Some boys wore short pnts suits when dressing up, but this tended to be boys from more affluent families. Long pants became steadily more popular during the 30s. We no longer see older teenagers wearing knickers in the 30s.

Headwear

Caps and hats were commonly worn by both men and boys. One of the most popular style of caps was the flat cap, at least in the 1920s. During the winter stocking caps were widely worn. The decade began with the flat cap still very popular,m but was going out of style by the 1930s. Not other single style replaced it. We notice varuous winter caps. Headwear in general waa declining in popularity, but still worn to a much greater degree than today. Boys from affluent families might wear berets when younger or British-style peaked caps with suits.

Shirts

Neckwear

Suits

Boys continued to dress more formally than is common today. 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. White only vaguely related to the actual Eron suit and jacket, it became a very popular style for younger American boys by the 1950s. In the 1920s and 30s it was mostly worn bu boys from affluent families.

Pants

We see a range of pants during the inter-War years as well as major changes in the conventions asociated with pants. Pants throughout the late-19th and early-20th century were largely a matter of age. In the inter-War era, other factors like seasonality, social class, and regional trends became increasingly common. Knickers were still the dominant type of pants during the 1920s. Younger boys might wear short pants and older bys might wear long pants, but knickers as in the 1910s were the dominant type of pants worn by Americab boys. They conyinued to be worn with long stockings. This shifted somewhat in the 1930s. Knickers were still worn, bur steadily declined in popularity through the 1930s. We see more boys wearing short pants. but this was complicated. Shorts became increasingly popular for summer wear. Some boys wore short pants suits when dressing up, but this tended to be boys from more affluent families. Knickers wee still commonat the beginning of the decade, but were wrm with knee socks, usuall brightly patterned knee socks rather thn long stockings. Long pants became steadily more popular during the 30s and were on the way to becoming standard by the end of the decade. We still see knickers, but they were clearly a declining style. We no longer see older teenagers wearing knickers in the 30s. Another major development were the girls. Girls never wore pants in the 19th and even the early-20 century. They lways wore dresses. The began to change in the 1910s with a few girls wearing overalls. But the major change we see is in the inter-War era. We see rural girlsweatoing overalls and at first bloomer knickers. Unlike the boys in the 20s e se few girls wearing short pants. We so see girls wearing shorts in the 30s, but only for ply and outdoors activities, never toschool. .

Hosiery

Hosiery varied s good deal during the inter-War era. Long stockings were still dominant. We even see? boys wearing long stockings during the summer. Black long stockings were the most common for boys and girls. Younger bots might wear short pants with long stockings. Beige long stockings became popular. Three-quarter stockings like worn in the 1910s by younger children were less common in the 1920s. We see boys wearing knee socks, but the brightly patterned knee socks worn with knickers were primarily worn in the 1930s. .

Shoes

Footwear changed significantly during the inter-war years. We still see mosrly high-top shoes in the 1920s. Unlike Europe, sandals were not very popular with boys. We see some in the 1930s, but less commonly in the 30s. We see more noys wearing snakers--high-top canvas shoes with rubber soles. These were just for ply. For school or other occasions, children wore learher shoes. Any the 1930s these were mostly-low-cut oxfords. We see children and teenagers wearing sddle shoes.

Created: 12:28 AM 5/18/2011
Last updated: 9:29 PM 11/13/2015