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We see German boys wearing a variety of pants to school in the late-19th and early-20th century, including knee pants. We do not see short pants until the 20th century, especially after World War I in the 1920s. Gradually after World War I, short pants became more and more common in Germanh. Older boys wore long pants to school. The age at which boys shifted from short to long pants varied over time. Some times teenagers had knickers has a kind of transition. The schools did not play a role here. They did not set rules. This was essentially a family decession. We note that in the 1920s and 30s boys often began to shift to long pants a school a a about age 15. Some boys began wearing longs earlier, others later. In some cases boys wore knickers in between the transition from short to long pants. By the 1930s seasonality began to become an issue with some mothers allowing boys to wear long pants in cold weather, Until the 1950s, however, shorts were more common. We see different kinds of short pants. Lederhosen were popular in southern Germanyy. Some German readers tells us that even if parents allowed boys to wear long trousers to school at age 14 or 15, they often wanted the boys to wear short trousers at home and to church until at least 16. Again this varied from family to family. Short pants were very popular for school wear through the 1950s. With the 1960s, shorts began to be seen as casual seasonal clothing and began to be less commonly worn in school. This trend was particularly pronounced by the 1980s.
We see German boys wearing a variety of pants to school in the late-19th and early-20th century, including knee pants. We do not see short pants until the 20th century, especially after World War I in the 1920s. Gradually after World War I, short pants became more and more common in Germany. Almost all German boys wore shrt pants in the inter-War era. Many boys wore them year round. A factor here was long stiockings. We see childe, bith boys and girls wearing long stockings during the winter months.
The first shorts were long like knee pants. Gradually we see shorter lengths. The schools did not play a role here. They did not set rules. This was essentially a family decession. We note that in the 1920s and 30s boys often began to shift to long pants for school at about age 15 years. We see more boys wearing long pants or knickers looking like ski-pants in the 1940s. Afactor here was te Hitker Youth which adopted ainf of si-pants wimtr unifiorm. Some boys began wearing longs earlier, others later. In some cases boys wore knickers in between the transition from short to long pants. Short pants were very popular for school wear through the 1950s. We see many school portraits where all the boys are wearing short pants. This began to change by the late-1950s. Shorts were, hoever, still common in the erarly-60s. With the 1960s, shorts began to be seen as casual seasonal clothing and began to be less commonly worn in school. This trend was particularly pronounced by the 1980s.
The age of German boys wearing short pants to school has varied chronologically. This pertains to chronological prevalence of shorts as well as the age conventions associated with wearing them. We begin to see short pants in the early-20th century, but they were worn by yonger boys and no commonly to school. Knee pants were much more common at school until after World War I. Short pants were almmst universl for primary boys in the inter-War era. We see younger secondary boys also wearing shorts to school in this priod, including sailor suits and regular suits. Boys up to about 15 years of age wore short pants to school, although this varied from family to family. Some parents used knickers as both a seasonal garment and a transitional garment between short and long pants. Seasonality was another factor as to the age of boys wearing shorts. Aftr age 15 years shorts become less common. Boys conginued to be commonly worn after the War. In fact we see some older boys earing shorts in the 1940s after the War. We think many boys continued to wear clothes they had grow out of because of the difficult economic conditions, Many families coud not aford to buy new outfits for boys when at the time that just afording food was challenge. Older boys wore long pants to school. We see a major change after the mid-50s. We no longer see boys wearing shorts to secondary school. And by the 70s we see more boys even at the primary level wearing long pants, especilly during the winter.
Some times German teenagers had knickers has a kind of transition garmnent. They were also worn seasonally. .
German boys ny the 1930s seasonality began to become an issue with some mothers allowing boys to wear long pants in cold weather, Until the 1950s, however, shorts were more common.
We see different kinds of short pants. Lederhosen were popular in southern Germanyy.
Some German readers tells us that even if parents allowed boys to wear long trousers to school at age 14 or 15, they often wanted the boys to wear short trousers at home and to church until at least 16. Again this varied from family to family.
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