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It was the 1950s when jeans made their real debut in American fashions. They were not considered fashionanle, but they were very popular. Jeans were worn by most elementary school boys. Teenagers also wore jeans, although many high schools did not permit them. Jeans were worn cowboy style with big cuffs as seen in the movies, so that had to be bought long. Corduroy was still a popular fabric, but not as popular as the 1930s when virtually every boy had a pair of corduriy knickers. Boys also wore a variety of slacks in a range of fabrics, often blended fabrics with rayon. Long pants were the predominate style, but some younger boys wore shorts. Many boys even at a young age wore long pants. Summer shorts were available in sizes up to 18 years, but mostly 6-12 years.
The Best & Co. catalog in 1952 offered "husky clothes for rough and tumble wear" meaning jeans which were called dungarees and slacks all long pants for boys of various ages. Khaki slacks had become a staple. There were elastic waists for younger boys. There was also a denim jacket in the popular bomber style.
Field's here offered denim jeans and tweed slacks (figure 1). Denim jeans were by the 1950s widely worn by primary-age boys, both for play and school. The altermative was slacks. These were dressier pants than jeans, but not suit pants. Slacks could, however be worn with sports jackets. Both primary and secondary-age boy wore slacks to school. The pants here were dine in sizes 6-16 years.
The Best & Co. summer catalog in 1952 offered "Clothes to Keep Him Cool and Comfortable". The items offered were mostly "T"-shirts and shorts. There was also a Eton cord suit.
Here Field offers three styles of play pants, all long pants, in destinctive styles. There were bib-front pants, boxer pants in denim and corduroy, and a cover-all outfit. They were done in sizes for boys 2-8 years of age.
A chips and twigs adveryisement offers aseveral different types of pants. We notice slacks for school wear. Thee were also short and long corduroy pants for wear with sport jackets. Younger boys wore short cord pants with Eton jackets. Older boys wore long cord pants with standard lapel jackets.
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