We have begun to collect some information on 1926 advertisements amd mail order listings at this time. Suits were still quite cimmon, but not as commonas in the 1900s. Most boys wore knickers. We note a prestige retailer offering English style short pants suits. Long pants suits were becoming more popular. This was a style more common with well-to-do families. We have acquired a Wards catalog page for gater waists. There were garters for boys who had graduated to long trousers. We also notice ads from the Excelsior Shoe Company for Boy Scout shoes. There were three styles offered, including the still popular high-top style.
The standard headwear for school-age American boys in the 1920s was a flat cap. We see more boys wearing them than all other headwear combined. We note a Wards ad for a flat cap.
Suits were still commonly worn by American boys, although there was a clear decline during the 1920s. We notice American boys wearing both single and double-breasted suits. Lapel size varied, but we do not see any large lapels.
Wenolonger see knee pas suits. Most American boys wore knickers and knicker suits in the 1920s. We note a prestige up-scale retailer offering English style short pants suits. This was a style more common with well-to-do families. There were short pants suits for younger boys, but most boys wore knicker suits. This is conformed in the photographic record. Older biys wore long poants. By 1926 more and more boys were wearing long pants at high school, although not all boys were wearing suits ro high school. Suits were still common, but no longer nearly universal. We notice a range of material.
Knee socks were becoming increasingly common in 1926, but long stockings were very still widely worn in 1926. Boys wearing knickers wore them with both long stockings and kneesocks. Younger boys wearing short pants might still wear long stockings during the cooler month.
Children were not photographed in their underwear, thus our major source on underwear comes from catalogs and advertisement. Underwear in 1926 still seems rather old fashioned. There would be major changes in underwear about to occur. Modern less cumbersome styles were just beginning to appear in the late 1920s. We see union suits ans waist suits being commonly by children. We note Sears waist suits (Fall and Winter, 1926-27). Waist suits were very popular during the 1920s and 1930s. Unions suits were still commonly worn, especially during the winter. We notice several differt types of Wards union suits offered for winter 1926-27.
Children still commonly wore long stockings in 1926. Many styles of underwear included support features for both pants and long stockings. The variety of stocking supporters is an indicator of how common long stockings were. We note both waists and garters. Several companies with a large range of product offerings. They were featured in both the Sears and Wards catalog. There were also several manufactuers that advertized in newspapers and magazines. One important manufacturer was Nazareth. Stein was another important manufacr\tuer. They were better known by the Hickory brand.
Boys wore both high-top and low cut shoes. Sneakers (canvas shoes) were popular, especially for play during the summer.
We also notice ads from the Excelsior Shoe Company for Boy Scout shoes. There were three styles offered, including the still popular high-top style. We notice ads from the Excelsior Shoe Company
for Boy Scout shoes. There were three styles
offered, including the still popular high-top style.
This ad for 1926--Boy Scout shoes, appeared in
The Youth's Companion, October 14, 1926, p.
745.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main American mail order 1920s page]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Cloth and textiles]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
Images]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor hats]
[Peaked caps]
[Flat caps]
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Short pants suit]
[Knickers suit]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Knee socks]
[Long stockings]
[Underwear]