Figure 1.-- British boys in the 1960s began waring much shorter cut school shorts. These boys were at a prep school in the 1980s. Note the boy second from right wears his tie tail sticking out below the waistline of the sweater.

Short pants were first adopted for school wear in England during the early-20th century. The adoption of short pants, referred to as sort trousers, by English Boy Scouts helped to popularize them for school wear. Keepants were already common so it was not a major shift at the time. There use by the British Army in far flung colonial exploits was another important factor. By the 1920s they were widely worn in England and other British Empire countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Short pants became equally worn in continental European countries, but school uniforms were not common in Europe. Many Japanese schools in the 1950s adopted short pants school uniforms with especially short cut shorts. Short pants continued to be worn by boys in England to school through the 1950s, but beginning in the 1960s older boys began to want long pants. At the same time the length of the shorts becan to become much shorter than was the case in the past. American boys never wore uniforms to any great extent. School uniforms have begining in the 1980s began to be adopted by many elementary schools. The boys and girls commonly wear shorts during the warmer summer months. School shorts are still common in New Zealand, although the style by the late 1990s tended to be long and baggy.

Century Trends

The 19th Century

We do not see boys wearing short pants to school in the 19th century. Beginning after mid-century we begin to see younger boys wearing shortened-length pants to school, including bloomer knikers, knickers, and knee pants. They tended to be worn with lon stockings. The age of the boys wearing these shortened-length pants gradually increased as the century progressed. The specific trends varied from country to conuntry.

The 20th Century

Short pants were first adopted for school wear in England during the early-20th century. The adoption of short pants, referred to as short trousers, by English Boy Scouts helped to popularize them for school wear. Knee pants were already common so it was not a major shift at the time. There use by the British Army in far flung colonial exploits was another important factor. We do not see horts as commonly in America where boys nostly wore knee pants (1900s) and knickers (1910s-30s) Shorts by the 1920s they were widely worn in England and other British Empire countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Short pants became equally worn in continental European countries, but school uniforms were not common in Europe. Hosoery gradually shifted from long stockings to knee socjs and then ankle socks. Many Japanese schools in the 1950s adopted short pants school uniforms with especially short cut shorts. Short pants continued to be worn by boys in England to school through the 1950s, but beginning in the 1960s older boys began to want long pants. At the same time the length of the shorts becan to become much shorter than was the case in the past. American boys never wore uniforms to any great extent. School uniforms have begining in the 1980s began to be adopted by many elementary schools. The boys and girls commonly wear shorts during the warmer summer months. School shorts are still common in New Zealand, although the style by the late 1990s began to be long and baggy.

The 21st Century

Country Trends

Wearing short pants to school has varied widely from country to country. The chronological trends in the various countries thus differed. We have addressed the chronological trend in several different countries. Information on the smaller countries is limited, but we do have information on several major countries.

Created: September 30, 2003
Last updated: 5:34 PM 3/29/2017