Figure 1.-- This 1885 cabinet card portrait of an unidentified merican boy wearing ankle-length kneepants. They look more like out-grown long pants. Notice they are button-on pants. The polkadot bow is tied loosely. He is holding a hat in his right hand. He also has striped stockings and high-top shoes. The studio is Rees Gallery (Prof. Powers, Artist) in Richmond, Virginia. We might have guessed the portrait was taken earlier, but the card is backstamped 1885. The card is 3 7/8" wide x 6 3/8" tall, slightly different than a stanfard cabinet card. The boy looks to be about 9-10 years old.

Early knee pants appeared while long pants were standard for boys, even for younger biys. They weere at fitst were long, often cut at calf level, at first even longer. We call them knee pants only because as they became more common in the late-80s and began to be worn by older boys, this was the standard length. These longish knee pants were common in the 1860s, 70s, and into the 80s. At first they often they look more like out-grown long pants, not far above the ankles. Perhaps some were. Knee pants by the 1890s began to be cut shorter, especially by the end of the decade. We note that the Little Lord Fauntleroy suits appearing in the mid-80s were generally knee pants suit cut just below the knee, but these were mostly younger, pre-school boys. Only in the 1880s do we begin to see actual knee-length knee pants, but they were not common for older boys until the 90s. A good example is Eddie Wilson, a New York boy in 1882. We still see, however, knee pants covering the knees. This continued in to the early-90s. A good example is an Ohio boy in 1890. Knee pants by the mid-1890s had become almost universal, at least in urban areas. The knee level length became the standard. This continued to be the case through the 1900s into the point of being replaced by knickers.

Ankle Length

Early knee pants appeared while long pants were standard for boys, even for younger boys. They were at first very long, often cut at calf level, at first even longer. Not at all what one might call knee pants. We call them knee pants only because as they became more common in the late-80s and began to be worn by older boys, The boyhereis a good excample (figure 1). Ankle lennth knee pants were not the standard length very long. Very quickly this became calf level. These longish knee pants were common in the 1860s annd early-70s. At first they often look more like out-grown long pants, not far above the ankles. Perhaps some were. The boy here is a good examaple. And notice that the pants look brand new, not like hardly worn, grown out-of pants. You kind of wonder what was on the minds of fashion designers. The shorter length was barely notable. Actually we have no idea who it was who came up with the idea of shorter-length pants for boys. Which seems strange as it wouild be a major factor in boys pants for decades. It must gave been a European import, but we are not sure if it came from Britain or France. While these ankle length cuts were most common when knee pants began to be worn, we see a few as late as the early-90s.

Calf Level

Very quickly we begin to see calf-level pants. What we are calling knee pants by the 1870s began to be cut shorter, especially by mid-decade. This was the lenth that was most common in the 1870s and 80s. And unlike the ankle-length knee pants, it was actually noticeable. It was not a reflection of age, although in the 1870s it was most the younger boys wearing knee pants. Calf-level knee pants were common in the 80s and we even see some in the early-90s. A good example is an Ohio boy in 1890. Large numbers of knee oants were done at this length.

Knee Level

We note that the Little Lord Fauntleroy suits appearing in the mid-80s were generally knee pants suit cut just below the knee, but these were mostly younger, pre-school boys. Only in the 1880s do we begin to see knee-length knee pants begin to become common, but knee pants in generalm were not being worn by older boys until the 90s. Like calf-level knee pants, large numbers vere done at this length. A good example is Eddie Wilson, a New York boy in 1882. We still see, however, knee pants covering the knees. This continued in to the early-90s. Knee pants by the mid-1890s had become almost universal, at least in urban areas. The knee level length became the standard. This continued to be the case through the 1900s into the point of being replaced by knickers.

Created: 4:30 AM 7/25/2013
Last updated: 12:42 AM 3/6/2024