Figure 1.--Many Japanese schools primary schools required boys to wear short pants school uniform. These boys attend a pivate school with an English-styled uniform completre with peaked caps. Most boys attnded schools with less elaborate uniforms. |
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There has traditionally been a major divide between primary and secondary schools with boys wearing short pants in primary schools and long trousers in secondary schools. I am not sure just when Japanese primry boys began wearing short pants, but the earlist photographs We have seen date to the 1930s and almost all of the boys appear to be wearing shorts, albeit rather long, knee-length shorts. Beginning in the 1950s, many school adopted much shorter length shorts. The short pants worn by Japanese boys to schools have traditionally been rather short, trim fitting shorts. This began to change in the 1980s as many primary boys began wearing long trousers, especially during the winter months. More change took place in the 1990s as the longer, baggy shorts popular in America and Euope also began to appear in Japan. This was especially true at non-uniform schools. The uniformed schools tended to retain the shorter, trim fitting shorts. After boys graduated from elementary school they would rarely wear shorts--except for scouts, even for casual wear. This began changing in the early 1980s as shorts became popular among older boys for casual, hot-weather wear--but not schoolwear.
Middle school and secondary school boys all wear long trousers for both the military and blazer style uniform. Girls are not allowed to wear trousers to school. A few secondary schools which have adopted the blazer uniform have very recently allowed short pants in the summer--but this is the case in only a few schools.
The types of school trousrs worn by Japanese school chikldren have remained fairly consistent over time. Basically when wesrern styles became common in the early0-20th century, primary boys wore hort pants abd secondary boys wore long pants. This reflected popular fashion t the time. The short pants initually worn by primary boys were longer knee-length style. After World War II we begin to see boys wearing smarter shirt-cut shorts. Short pants remained the standard at inform schools. At the non-unifirm schools we see boys wearing both short nd long pants. This has continued into the 2st cntur, although e see boys wearing increasinly long shorts, especilly at the non-uniform schools. At the uniform schools we still see some boys wearing the shorter cut shorts that were standard until the 1990s. Boys at secondary schools continue to wear long pants. The only exception were a few junior high chools in the 1950s-60.
Japanese boys motly wore short pants or long pants to school. Orimary boys commonly wore short psnts nd secondry boys wore long pnts.Knee pants had generally gone out of style by the time that boys began wearing Wesern-styled school uniforms. And for whatever reason, knickers were never commonly worn by Jpanese boys.
I am not sure just when elementary boys began wearing short pants, but the earlist photographs I have seen date to the 1930s and almost all of the boys appear to be wearing shorts, albeit rather long, knee-length shorts--sometimes rather baggy. Beginning in the 1950s, many school adopted much shorter length, trim fitting shorts. Many boys wore short pants all year round, even in the cold winter months. This continued through the 1970s becoming a national standard. It only began to change in the 1980s as many primary boys began wearing long trousers, especially during th winter months. More change took place in the 1990s as the longer, baggy shorts popular in America and Euope also began to appear in Japan. This was especially true at non-uniform schools. The uniformed schools tended to retain the shorter, trim fitting shorts. After boys graduated from elementary school they would rarely wear shorts--except for scouts, even for casual wear. This began changing in the erly 1980s as shorts became popular among older boys for casual, hot-weather wear--but not schoolwear.
It was once uncommon to see Japanese primary boy wearing long pants to school. Since the 1980s we note increasing numbers of primary schoolboys wearing long tousers to school, especially during the winter months. Middle school and secondary school boys all wear long trousers for both the military and blazer style uniform. Until recently most boys wore the Prussian military styl uniform to secondary school. Thus almost all boys had plain black long troysers matching their uniform jacket. Today with the hift to a less milataristic look, there is a much wider range of colors and some schools even had patterened long trousers for the boys. Girls are not allowed to wear trousers to school. A few secondary schools which have adopted the blazer uniform have very recently allowed short pants in the summer--but this is the case in only a few schools.
Age or more correctly school level was the major determinent as to whethr a boy wore short or long pants to school. Shorts were common in primary chools. This esentilly meant boys 6-2 years of age. Sevondary boys ore long pats. This meant boys 12-18 years of age.
Japanese chools are very strict about school uniform gendr conventions. Boys ear pants. Girls ear dresses or skirts. We do not ee girl wearing either short or long pants to chool.
We do not yet have much information on trouser suspension. We are just beginning to collect information on this topic. We note some younger boy wearing suspender shorts. Thi seems more common with girls who wore suspender skirts. In addition to actual susppender shorts we also notice boys wearing clip on suspenders. Japanese school pants were made with belt loops so we know tht they were worn with belts. We do not yet have much informtion on the tpes of belts worn with school uniforms. Or if therecwere special school belts like tge snake belts British boys wore with their school uniforms. We believe that school shorts were made with elasticized backs which was also common in Britain. The long pants worn at secondary schools were worn with belts.
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