|
The types of pants worn to school varied over time. We see boys commonly wearing long trousers in the 19th century. By the late 19th century knee pants were becoming increasingly common. We also see boys wearing bloomer knickers. At the turn of the 20th century, knee pants were very common. Gradually after World War I, short pants became more and more common. Older boys wore long pants to school. The age at which boys shifted from shrt to long pants varied over time. The school did not play a role here. 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 cild weather, Until the 1950s, however, shorts were more common. 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 vsaied from family to family.
The types of pants worn to school varied over time. We see boys commonly wearing long trousers in the 19th century. Most German bots wore long pants in the 19th centuy. The very youngest boys beginning in the mid-19th century might wear bloomer knikers or knee pants, but most boys wore long pants. Ghis only began to change on the 890s, but still most boys wore long pants. Quite old American boys were wearing knee pants at the turn-of-the 20th century. This does not seem to have been the case in Germany. We see older bopys mostly wearing long pants. In the early 20th century, knee pants and short pants became very popular for younger boys boys and gradually older voys began weraring them. By the 1920s, only older teenagers were wearing long pants to school, although the age at which boys began to wear long pants vared from country to country. After World War II, long pants again began to be wrn by younger boys, but this was did not begin to become very common until the 1960s.
We also see boys wearing bloomer knickers. At the turn of the 20th century, knee pants were very common.
We note younger German boys wearing knee pants to school by the mid-19th century. Somewhat older German boys were wearing knee pants by the late-19th century knee pants and they were becoming increasingluy common. This increased in the ealy-20th century. After World War I short pants became more and more countries. We still see knee pants. And notable short pants suits were often made with the buttons at the knee hem to look like knee pants.
Gradually after World War I, short pants became more and more common. Older boys wore long pants to school. The age at which boys shifted from shrt to long pants varied over time. The school did not play a role here. 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. 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 knickers-style pants in the 19h century, but these seem to be more bloomer knickes worn by younger boys than proper knickers with buckle or button closures like American boys wore. We have not yet worked out the chronlgy. We do not see many boys wearing knickers to school in the early-20th century. This may in part be due to our limited archive. We see some older German boys wearing knickers commonly in the 1920s as short pants became standard for yonger boys. Knickers became a kind of transition between short and long pants. This varied from family to family, both the choice of trousers and the age conventions involved. Knickers seem mot common for boys around 13-16 years of age. This was affected somewhat when the Hitler Youth adopted a kinfs if skipants winter uniform. Some boys went right from short pants to knickers. This seems to have varied somewhat seasonally. There also seems to have been some regional variation. We note some secondary schools with only a few boys wearing knickers. In a few schools they are much more common, at least during the winter. We see boys wearing them with both long stockings and knee socks. Some boys wore knee socks over the bottom of their knickers. By the 1930s, knee socks were standard, espcially with the older boys. We do not see the loud patterened knee socks like American boys wore. Some younger boys wore them during the cold winter weather. Knickers generally went out of style in the 1940s, but we see a few boys in the 50s wearing them.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main school uniform page]
[Main country page]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Return to the Main German specific schoolwear garment page]
[Return to the Main German schoolwear garment page]
[Return to the Main German sailor suit page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Scotland]
[United States]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[German glossary]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
