School Long Trousers: Country Trends


Figure 1..--Knickers disappeared from ASmerican schools in the early 1940s and by the end of the decade we see even the youngest boys commonly wearing long pants. Here we see a a typical American primary class from a rural area in the late-1940s.

The pants or trousers worn by school boys have varied among different countries. During the 19th century while styles varied, the type of pants worn was very similar in both Europe and America. Most boys woire long pants, but by the end of the centurty we see boys in most countries commonly wseraring knee pants. This changed in the 20th century. We begin to see more variation among countries. First knickers and than long pants became more common in America than Europe. This difference did not change untill the post-War II period. bWWe begin to see pan-European styles drvrloping in the 1970s that were imilsr to Americam styles. Today most boys wear long pants to school both as part of a uniform or when the children are allowed to choose their own clothes. While long pants are dominate--there still are quite a number of countries where boys wear short pants to school.The situation in some representative countries is as follows:

Australia

Australian school boys, erven older boys, commonly wore short pants. This did not begin to change until the 1970s. Long pants are now the most common schoolwear. Even in primary schools, longs are now common--especially during the winter. A few schools, especially private schools still require shorts, especially for prep-age boys. A few schools even require them for younger teenagers.

Belgium

Belgium boys until World War II commonly wore short pants and smocks. Smocks generally disappeared after World War II, but boys still wore shorts in the 1950s and even 60s. Except for a few private schools, there were no school uniforms, boys just wore their regular clothes to school. Today Belgian boys dress like most other European boys for school wearing long pants--often jeans.

England

English boys commonly wore short pants to school, although until the 1950s there were not normally uniforms for state schools. At private schools, the prep school boys generally required shorts. Many public schools did also for the younger boys, although the older boys at most schools generally wore longs. Many state secondary schools after World War II followed the trends at public schools. Grammar schools in particular tended to require shirts for younger boys. By the 1970s almost all state secondary schools had shited to long pants. Shorts continued tonbe worn at prep schools, but many of the prep schools changed to long pants in the 1980s--especially for the older boys. Today in England most primary and all secondary schoolboys wear long pants. A few primary and prep schools schools still have shorts, but they are either for the younger boys are worn seasinally. The great majority of English boys wear long pants to school.

New Zealand

New Zealand has maintained rather traditional school uniforms. Short pants were commonly worn to secondary school through the 1980s. Uniforms were only required in secondary schools. Long pants were not allowed at most schools, both private and state schools, although a few schools let the seniot boys wear them. In the 1960s some schools began adopting a formal uniform where the boys would wear long pamts as part of their dress uniform. Many New Zealand schools still require short pants for the boys, albeit by the late 1990s they had become very long and baggy. Many schools requiring shorts now commonly allow the senior boys to wear shorts. Some schools have made shorts optional and most boys, but not all, have chosen longs. Other schools make shorts and longs seasonal wear.

Scotland


South Africa


United States

American school boys traditionally wore kneepants and knickers. Even secondary school boys wore knickers in the 1910s and early 20s. Accept at a few elite private schools and military boarding scholols, there were no uniforms. By the 1930s knickers were mostly worn in elementary school, but by the 1940s American boys, both elemebntary and secondary, wore long lnts--although there were some regional differences. Boys at secondary schools and even some elementary schools were not allowed to wear short pants. LOed by California, American boys in the 1980s began wearing shorts to school. They are now quite common although longs are still prevalent. Elementary and Junior High Schools began adopting uniforms in the 1980s and they are now qyuite common--especially at private schools and inner-city schools. Most involve short pants, but there is often a shorts option.








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Created: 12:04 AM 12/14/2010
Last updated: 12:04 AM 12/14/2010