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Short pants first appeared in the 1900s, primarily as a European export, especially British. They did not prove as popular in America as in Europe. Some young boys wore them, but most older boys insisted on knickers. Even Scouts in America wore knickers rather than short pants. Theu were generally seen as a garment for younger boys. There were also reguional and social class differences. Only in the 1960s did the attitudes of American boys begin to change and shorts began to become acceptable for casual wear by boys of all ages. American boys did not commonly wear the short pants that became widely accepted in England and Europe, especially in the years after the 1920s. American boys much prefered knickers. Some American boys, however, did wear shorts. They were acceptable for little boys, especially before they began school. They were also more accepted in the southern states and California where the weather was warmer--especially during the summer. Notably, even in the South, shorts were not commonly worn in rural areas. Short pants were also worn by boys from wealthy families more intuned with European fashions and able to send their boys to private schools, some of which required short pants uniforms. Families from European immigrant families were also more likely to dress their boys in shorts. This began to change in the 1960s when short pants as casual wear became increasingly accepted. The introduction of cutoffs and the increasing popularity of soccer and bnasketball (sports with short pants uniforms) were important factors. American boys by the 1980s commonly wore shorts as casual wear, elementary boys would even wear them to school. Quite short styles were popular. Styles began to change in the early 1990s as influenced by hip-hop fashions, shorts begame long and baggy.
American boys did not commonly wear the short pants that became widely accepted in England and Europe, especially in the years after the 1920s. Shorts appeared in America in the early 1900s, but they were not at first widely worn except by younger boys--even by Boy Scouts. Through the 1920s and 30s they were worn by some boys, but most American boys wore knickers. They were also more common in the South and by boys from more affluent families. Older boys never wore shorts, except for atletics like basketball or tennis. By the 1940s, long pants were becoming increasingly common. Short pants became even less common as dress wear with a suit in the 1950s, but by the 1960s began to grow in popularity as casual summer wear. New styles of shorts appeared in the 1970s and they began to be worn in shorter styles. Shorts by the 1980s became very commonly worn. Shorts continued to be commonly worn in the 1990s, but they began to become long and baggy by the mid-1990s.
Short pants first appeared in the 1900s, primarily as a European export, especially British.
Short pants did not prove as popular in America as in Europe. Some young boys wore them, but most older boys insisted on knickers. Even Scouts in America wore knickers rather than short pants. Theu were generally seen as a garment for younger boys. American boys did not accept short pants like European boys. Some American boys commonly wear the short pants that became widely accepted in England and Europe, especially in the years after the 1920s. American boys much prefered knickers. I'm not positive why there was such a difference between American and European boys dress styles, but it is a topic that needs to be pursued.
Some American boys, however, did wear shorts. They were acceptable for little boys, especially before they began school. They were also more accepted in the southern states and California where the weather was warmer--especially during the summer. Notably, even in the South, shorts were not commonly worn in rural areas. Short pants were also worn by boys from wealthy families more intuned with European fashions and able to send their boys to private schools, some of which required short pants uniforms. Families from European immigrant families were also more likely to dress their boys in shorts. This began to change in the 1960s when short pants as casual wear became increasingly accepted.
There were significant reguional differences in America regarding short pants. Shorts appear most common in the South so climatic factors appear to have been of some importance. There were a variety of other factor involved. Shorts appear to have been less common in the Western States, with the exception of California.
Our assessment of demographic trends is that there were limited stylistic trends between clothing in the cities ad rural areas. Styles were set in Europe and the cities ad basically followed in the rural areas which until the very late-19th century is where most of the people lived. There were differences, however, because rural areas were less prospeous and fashionable than the cities. The basic styles, however, were essentially the same. This changed in the early-20th century when overalls became widely adopted in rural areas. This did not occur in the cities. We see rural boys commonly wearing overalls to school. We are not entirely sure why this difference developed, but varying levels of affluence was probably an important factor. Knee pants were never as common in rural areas as the cities. And after World War I when short pants appeared, they were not as common in rural areas as urban areas. Here there was a regional factor. Shorts were more common in the rural South than the rural north. I recall in the late-40s and early-50s, that in the mid-West, pre-school boys and girls wore short pants, but rarely school-age boys. At the same time after Workd sar II, the demographic differences began to disappear so by the 1960s when short pants began to become more popular with American boys, we see them also neing worn in rural areas. This was especially the case by the 1970s.
There were also social class differences, in part affected by ethnicity, that affected the popularity of short pants. Many younger boys wore shor pants in the mid-20th century. Among older boys, however, there appears to have been social class differences. A reader writes, "I agree generally with your assessment of short trousers in America, especially with the greater prevalence of short trousers in wealthier families and in the families of immigrants (especially in the
northeastern United States). I'm thinking mainly about the 1930s and very early 1940s."
American boys wore short pants for both dress up occassions and for casual and play clothes. Thus a variety of different types of shorts emerged over time. Short pants were initially boys clothes and the detinction between casual and pants were not common as it is today. This has varied over time. Boys in the early 20th century did not have the extensive wardrobes common today. Boys from families with modest income might have a good pair of pants and use an older pair for play. After World War I it becomes more common to see play clothes advertized. Casual shorts were readuly available in the 1930s. For small boys short sleeve shirt and short sets that looked coordinated were popular. This included button-on shorts. The popularity of dress and play shorts varied over time. Some boys in the 1950s, for example, had jeans for play and short pants suits for dressing up. By the 1960s, however, short pants became increasing a caual or play garment. Boys might till wear shorts for dresy summer occassions, but this became less common. A variety of specific styles appeared. Older boys might wear Bermuda shorts. Another popular style appearing in the 1950s was shortalls. Younger boys often wore simple boxer shorts. Camps shorts appeared in the late 1950s. Various styles of althetic shorts began to become popular in the lae 60s, influenced by the growing popularity of both basketball and soccer. The introduction of cutoffs and the increasing popularity of soccer and bnasketball (sports with short pants uniforms) were important factors in making short pants increasingly popular in America. American boys by the 1980s commonly wore shorts as casual wear, elementary boys would even wear them to school. Quite short styles were popular. The casual shorts, walks shorts or camp shorts generally came a little above the knee.
Short pants have varied widely in color. The available colors have varied over time and dependened somewhat on the type of shorts. Dress shorts were made in a varirty of colored, often dark pattens to match suit jackets. They were also made in solid colors, generally dark colors like grey, blue, and black. White shorts were worn as dress shorts seasonally during the summer. Play or casual shorts have varied much more in color. The most common colors were brown, blue, green, and grey. Aftr World War II (1939-45) more colors. Shorts for younger boys might be in a variety of bright colors including red. The range of clors increased even more in the 1970s with the appearance of sport or jogging shorts and OP cord shorts in a great range of colors.
America's climate is much more severe than much of Western Europe, despite the norther lattitudes. Many American mothers did not think short pants were appropriate boys wear in cold winter weather. This advertisement for the well-known Hickory hose supporters appeared in Parents Magazine, March 1932, p. 58 (figure 1). It appealed to mothers to keep their children in long stockings during the chilly March weather rather than letting them go outdoors with bare knees. The boy and girl in the illustration are being pelted with chilly rain, apparently with unprotected knees. The mothers are being advised to protect their boys and girls from the dangers of "rheumatism, arthritis, lung, bone or kidney troubles" by
keeping them during the early spring months in long stockings to "prevent unnecessary colds and more serious troubles". The advertisement even appeals to the endorsement of physicians: "Ask your doctor, too."American mothers appear to have become convinced that it was
unheatlhful to expose children's knees to cold weather.
The age conventions in America concening short pants have varied over time. There were regional, seasonal, and social class differents that affected the age of boys wearing short pants. Short pants first appeared in the 1920s and the age associations were different from Europe where even teenagers often wore short pants. Earlier knee pants age conventions were similar to Europe. American boys mostly wore knickers in the 1920s. We do see pre-school boys wearing shorts and some younger primary school boys wearing shorts. oys in the South were more likely to wear shorts and we see older boys there wearing shorts. Shorts were also more common in the summer and we sometimes see younger teenagers wearing them. Shorts were both worn for dresswear as well as play wear. Short pants were most common with boys from affluent familiesm especially families that had British or other European connections. We still see primary school boys wearing short pants in the early-1940s. We rarely see beven grade-school boys wearing shorts to school in the late-40s and 50s. We are not sure why this occurred. We note college boys wearing Bermuda shorts in the 1950s. This fashion filtered down to younger boys in the 60s. We begin to see more boys wearing short pants in the 1970s and boys of all ages. A factore here was both nasketball and soccer. Short pants became primarily worn as athletic wear or casual summer wear. The age associations with short pants largely disappeared, although younger boys might wear shorts for dressy occasions during the summer.
The principal type of short pnts associated with ethnic wear are German Lederhosen. R=These shorts were never commonly wirn in merica. We see them bring worn principally at German festivals like Oktober Fest.
American boyswore short pants cut in different ways. The two main variables were the length and the fullness of the legs. Short pants have varied greatly in lenhth over time. The first short panhts were basically straight-leg knee pants without the leg hem buttons. They were also cut at knee length. short lengths gradually became more popular, especially for younger boys. We still see kne-lenth s into the 50s, but inlike the earlier short pnts cut above the knee. Shorter lenhths became more popur in the 1960s and the athletic-style shorts popular in the 1970s were cut very short. This short length was pipular in the 1989s. we begin to see longer lengths in the 1990s and by-th-tyurn of the 21st century, boys were wearing shorts and knee length . In the early 21st century we see boys commonly wearing shorts cut below the knee. The fullnes of the legs also varies. Straignt leg knee pants in the early-20th century were cut relatively tightly. And we see a similar look in early short pants. For some reason we begin to see fuller cut shorts in the late 1930s and especually the 40s. We begin to see more stanfard cuts in the 1950s. The long-length shoers appearing in the 1990s commonly had full cuts. .
The initial short pants were knee-lenhth pants with belt loops. Elasticised waists for shorts began to appear in the 1920s as did other stylistic details such as cuffs. Shorter shorts began to appear in the mid-1920s for younger boys. Many shorts were made with self-belts. Camp shorts appeared in the 1950s. Atletic-styled shorts cut very short became populr in the 1970s. Styles began to change in the early 1990s as influenced by hip-hop fashions, shorts begame long and baggy.
We see many fabric used for short pants. This varied over time and use. You did not have dress and casual or play clothes in the 19th century as we do now. But this short pants appeared this dichoomy was beginning to catch on. And of coutse use affected the material or fabric selected. We note flannel, suiting, and velvet being used for dress shorts. Casual and play shorts came in a range of material. we note cotton wash fabrics, cotton drill, corduroy, searsucker. madras, satin-look fabrics (early backeball shorts), and aange of other fabrics.
It is interesting to speculate as to why differences in fashion developed and wheter they are accidental, random developments or rather reflections of deeper aetetic or social values. Some differences are practical. Thus climate dictates that boys in
Russian and the Caribbean dress differently. Sometimes fashion overides practical matters. School boys and Scouts, for example, on many Caribbean islands insist on wearing long pants. One intreaguing question is did American and Europeans boys dress so differently during much of the 20th century. European boys commonly wore short pants while American boys mostly wore knickers and long pants.
American boys have worn various types of hosiery with short pants. Short pants became popuilar in the 1920s. They were at first most worn with knee socks, but younger boys also wore them with long stockings. We see boys more commonly wearing shorts with ankle socks in the 1930s.
After World war when short pants began to be worn by American boys, there had to be changes made in the underwear worn by boys. The same was true of girls who began wearing shortr shirts. Long underwear was unsightly with short pants and short skirts. It was not so inportant when boys wore kneepants and knicker with long stockings. With short pants, hoever, shoter styles of underwear were needed.
Some reports about the experiences of boys with short pants in various countries include the following:
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