United States Knicker Suits: Chronology--The 1940s


Figure 1.-Here we see five boys all wearing knicker suits in May 1940. They look to be about 9-years old. We are not sure just what the group was, perhaps a group of school friends. The building behind them looks a little like a school. Wearing suits to school was, however, not very common by 1940. Perhaps it was a birthday party. Notice one boy seems to be wearing ankle socks. Another boy wears what looks like a new suit bought in a large size so he could wear it a few years. It is unusual in 1940 to see agroup all wearing knicker suits. We more commonly see a mixture of suit types. The jackets are mostly double-breasted. Only one boy has a cap.

Knicker suits were still worn in the 1940s, but mostly the early-40s. Photographas taken in 1940-42 commonly show primary boys wear a variety pf suits, including short pants, knickers, and long pants. Younger boys wore the short pants. Older primary boys might wear either knickers or long pants suits, but the long pants were beconing increasingly common. This is clear both in the photographic record and in catalog offerings. Knickers themselves were somewhat more common than knicker suits, but both were raidly going out of style. We see suits which were offered with two pairs of pants in the 30s, often a pair of knickers and a opir of long pants. We no longer see that in the 40s to any extent. We note boys wearing the knickers with ankle socks which was not very common in the 1930s. The knicker length was well below the knees. The knickers we commonly worn with knee socks rather than long stockings. They were commonly done in bright patterns. While we still see knicker suits in the early-40s, they very rapidly went out of style during World War II which American entered as a result of Pearl Harbor (December 1941). By the end of the War (August 1945) we no longer commonly see knicker suits. Here a factor may have been the War and the need to us fabric more efficiently. Even the Boy Scouts dropped the knickers/breeches uniform. Boys were given the option of wearing either short or long pants. We see some boys wearing knickers in the early-40s, but knicker suits were not very common. By the end if the decade, knicker suits had virtually disappeared.

Decade Trends

Knicker suits were still worn in the 1940s, but mostly the early-40s. Photographas taken in 1940-42 commonly show primary boys wear a variety pf suits, including short pants, knickers, and long pants. The clear trend is for long pants. Even younger boys might wear long pants suits. This is clear both in the photographic record and in catalog offerings. While we still see knicker suits in the early-40s, they very rapidly went out of style during World War II which American entered as a result of Pearl Harbor (December 1941). We note one unidentified boy wearing a knicker suit during the War, but are not sure just which year. He looks to be about 10-years old. By the end of the War (August 1945) we no longer commonly see knicker suits. A reader writes, "It seems from the photo record and certain catalogs that knickers were still worn but not as often. Then after the War they seem to almost disappear." Our reader believes that knicker suits were somewht more common during the War than we do. We think that by the end if the War, especially 1944-45 that they had become increasingly a minor style. We are still working on the precise chronloy. School photography provides some clues, but for knickers in general because suits were no longer common in schools. We have a archive of 1940s school photographs. Here a factor may have been the War and the need to us fabric more efficiently. We see some boys wearing knickers in the early-40s, but knicker suits were not very common. By the end if the decade, knicker suits had virtually disappeared.

Age Conventions

Younger boys wore the short pants suits. Older primary boys might wear either knickers or long pants suits, but the long pants were beconing increasingly common. The boys here in 1940 look to be about 9 years old (figure 1)

Dress Conventions

A reader writes, "I think knicker suits were considered dressier during World War II and as such we see boys wearing them at certain dress occasions." We are not sure about this. We do not find knicker suits vry common for especially foral occassions like First Communuion suits. Short pants suits seem more common. Here age could also have been a factor. We do see some knickers First Communiob suits in the 930s, but very few in the 1940s.

Separate Pants

Knickers themselves were somewhat more common than knicker suits, but both were raidly going out of style.

Two Pants Suits

We see suits which were offered with two pairs of pants in the 30s, often a pair of knickers and a opir of long pants. We no longer see that in the 40s to any extent.

Knicker Length

The knicker length was well below the knees.

Hosiery

We note boys wearing the knickers with ankle socks which was not very common in the 1930s. The knickers we commonly see were worn with knee socks rather than long stockings. The knee socks were commonly done in patterns as was the case in the 1930s.

Boy Scouts

Even the Boy Scouts dropped the knickers/breeches uniform. The Cubs did as well. Boys were given the option of wearing either short or long pants.







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Created: 10:21 AM 3/10/2013
Last updated: 9:36 AM 7/31/2016