Figure 1.--Here a new Hollywood star returns to her home towm in 1939. At the beginning of tghe decade, American boys still mostly wore knickers. By the end of the decade, long pants had become more common. The press caption here readd "Gloria Jean, 11, of Scranton, Pa., also got a rousing reception when she returned to the anthracite region after making a movie. Her soonsors hope that she will inherit some of Deaanna Durbin's younger roles now Deann's getting to be a sophisticated lady."

We note American boys weafring many types of pants or trousers during the 1930s. We notice long pants, knickers, and short pants. The dominate style of pants for most boys during the most of the 1930s was knickers. Long pants were growing in popularity and by the end of the decade had begun to replace knickers as the most popular pants style for boys. Knickers wre the most common pants for school age boys, at least until the began high school. Some younger teens might wear knickers, but this was becoming less common by the 1930s. Most boys in high school wore long pznts. Yonger boy might wear short pants, both for play and dtrssing up. We notice some short psnts suits, but they were not very common for boys over 10 years old. Generally long pants slowly became ncreaingly common as the decade progressed. We notice overalls being worn in rural areas. Younge children wore snow suits which had sppecial pants with a stirup arrangement at the leg hem.

Knickers

The dominant style of pants for most boys during the 1930s was still knickers. They were vurtually universal in the 1920s and still very common on the early-30s. Younger boys might wear short pnts, but msot boys wore knickers. Knickers wre the most common pants for school age boys, at least until they began high school. Some younger teens might wear knickers, but this was becoming less common by the 1930s. Boys in the 20s wore their knickers with long stockings, but in the late-20s, knee socks appered and were very popular in the 30s. They were often done in loud patterns. We believe this was believed to give them more appeal to boys. We are noit sure this was the case. At the beginnng of the 1930s the knickers buckled at the knee. Most boys by the 1930s wore their knickers buckled below the knee. A new style of knickers appeared in the mid-1930s. Rather than buckling at the knee, the new style was elasticized. The boy then pulled his knee socks up over the elasticised knicker hem. He then put a garter under the turn-over-top sock cuff to keep the socks up. The popularity of knickers slowly declined during the 30s so that by the end of the decade many boys were wearing long pants.

Short Pants

Short pants varied somewhat depending on the boys' age. Younger boy wore very short shorts, often with short jackets. Older boys wore longer short pants, usually cut to knee length. Formal dressy short pants were mostly worn by younger boys. Mostly they were worn with ankle socks. Shorts were most common in the south and California. Some older boys in the northeast, especially boys from affluent families wore short pants with knees socks. Button-on shorts sets were popular. Yonger boy might wear short pants, both for play and dressing up. We notice some short psnts suits, but they were not very common for boys over 10 years old.

Long Pants

Long pants were growing in popularity and by the end of the decade had begun to replace knickers as the most popular pants style for boys. Long pants were mostly worn by older boys at the beginning of the decade. Quite old boys had worn knickers in the 1910s, but generally older boys began wearing long pants in the 1920s. By the 1930s most older boys were wearing long pants. Graduakky as the decade progressed, younger and younger boys began wearing long pants. Most boys in high school wore long pants. Generall long pants slowly became increaingly common as the decade progressed.

Other Pants Types

We notice overalls being worn in rural areas. Younge children wore snow suits which had sppecial pants with a stirup arrangement at the leg hem.

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[The 1800s] [The 1840s] [The 1880s] [The 1900s] [The 1910s] [The 1920s]
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Created: 1:44 AM 6/26/2008
Last update: 5:22 AM 12/8/2021