Figure 1.--Boys at the Hungarian school depicted in this 1969 film mostly wore long black pants with their blue school smocks. Only a few boys wore shorts.

HBC has only limited information on pants styles worn by Hungarian boys. Hungarian boys through the first half of the 20th century appear to have worn kneepants and short pants to school. A film set in that period shows most of the boys wearing shorts. Older boys may have worn knickers as was common in many European countries in the inter-War period. Some younger boys wore suspender shorts, I'm not sure how common it was to wear them to school. By the 1960s long pants had become more common, but some boys still wore shorts. In the class pictured in the 1969 film almost all the boys wear long pants, mostly black pants. They do not appear to be jeans. Only a few boys wear shorts.

Chronology

19th century

Hungarian boys in the late 19th century commonly wore kneepants to school. I believe knickers were also worn, but have few details at this time.

20th century

Boys continued wearing keepants in the deraly 20th centurym but shorts pants became increasingly popular by the 1910s and kneepants were rarely seen after the eraly 1920s. A film set in that period shows most of the boys wearing longish shorts. The dirst short pants were almost as long as kneepants, but became shorter by the 1930s. Iklder boys night wear knockers. Older boys may have worn knickers as was common in many European countries in the inter-War period. Some younger boys wore suspender shorts, I'm not sure how common it was to wear them to school. By the 1960s long pants had become more common, but some boys still wore shorts. In the class pictured in the 1969 film almost all the boys wear long pants, mostly black pants. They do not appear to be jeans. Only a few boys wear shorts. By the 1970s most Hungarian boys wanted to wear jeans and they were becoming increasingly common, but I'm not sure to what extent they were allpwed at school.

Types

Kneepants

Hungarian boys through the first half of the 20th century appear to have worn kneepants which continued to be common through the 1910s.

Short pants

I'm not positive when short pants first appeared in Hungary. By the 1910s, however, they were becoming increasingly common. A film set in that period shows most of the boys wearing shorts. Most boys wore them to school by the 1920s. Some younger boys wore suspender shorts, I'm not sure how common it was to wear them to school.

Knickers

Older boys may have worn knickers instead of shorts by the 1930s, as was common in many European countries in the inter-War period. They were commonly worn by older boys in secondary schools. They declined in popularity during the 1940s.

Long pants

Some boys, especially older boys wore long pants to school even at the turn of the century. They were a minority then, but gradually became more important. By the 1960s long pants had become more common, but some boys still wore shorts. In the class pictured in the 1969 film almost all the boys wear long pants, mostly black pants. They do not appear to be jeans. Only a few boys wear shorts.

Created: January 21, 2001
Last updated: January 22, 2001