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Lederhosen are a very flexible garment in that they were worn for an unusually wide range of activities from dressy formal occasions to casual play and even farm work. Hard wearing leather pants first appeared on farms as kind of a work garment. They were not unitially a boys' garment. Over time Lederhosen became a kind of folk garment and not resrticted to farm wear. We note many Austrian school boys wearing lederhosen. Lederhosen were worn by Scouts and other youth groups, including the Hitler Youth, after the Anchluss in 1937. I believe they were mostly worn for outdoor activities, but also with a kind of folk jacket for dressier occasions. Boys would wear them to school with a jacket or sweater. They were worn for both dressing up, and because of their durability, for play. Lederhosen conventions have varoed overtime. Into the 1950s we note boys wearing Lederhosen for farm work. Austrian boys today more commonly wear Lederhosen for dress-up occassions, often with green or other folk-styled jacket.
Hard wearing leather pants first appeared on farms as kind of a work garment. They were not initially a boys' garment. But were worn by men on the farm as inestructable work pants. Into the 1950s we note boys wearing Lederhosen for farm work.
Over time Lederhosen became a kind of folk garment and not resrticted to farm wear. We see boys dressing up in folk outfits for local festivals or special events. These outfits mike include an alpibe cap with eagle feather, shite or colored shirt. Lederhosen with haltar, loden jacket and special socks or knee socks. The outfit was worn with both shoes and hiking boots.
We note many Austrian school boys wearing Lederhosen. Boys would wear them to school with a jacket or sweater or even just a shirt, depending on the season. Most Austrian school portraits show at leat a few boys and often several wearing Lederhosen. This seems especially common in rural village schools more than city schools, although even in city schools we commonly see at least a few boys wearing Lederhosen. We are not sure about the 19th century, but in the first half of the 20th century, Lederhosen were a very common school garment in Austria. This was the case in primary schools. We do not see Lederhosen as commonly in secondary schools where dress was more common.
The garments worn by Austrian youth groups seem similar to those worn in other countries, especially Germany. One noticeable trend in austria is that Lederhosen were particularly popular and often worn with youth group uniforms. Lederhosen wwee commonly worn in the first half of the 20th century. Lederhosen are generally most associated with German and Austrian youth groups. The connection may be the strongest with Austrian youth groups because lederhosen are an Alpine style and all of Austria is an alpine country. In contrast only southern Germany, especially Bavaria is associated with the Alps. We note Austrian boys wearing Lederhosen with the Wandervogel, Boy Scouts and Hitler youth. We are less sure about the Communist Young Pioneers, but the Soviets seem to have withdrawn from Austria before the Young Pioneers became well organized. And we note some photographs of boys in youth groups wearing Lederhosen, but we can't figure out what specific group is involved. Leferhosen seem to have declined in popularity beginning in the late-1960s as jeans were becoming increasingly popular.
Austrian boys commonly wore Lederhosen for a wide range of outdoor activities. This seems a popular usage because Lederhosen were such durable garments. This is one garment that even boys in rough activities could not destroy. We see younger boys in Lederhosen playing in an around the house with their friends This included both informl games and sports. And we see older boys and teenagers wearing Lederhosen for all sorts of outdoor activities. This included activities like boaring camping, climbing, hiking, and many other activities. Many of these activities were those organized by youth groups. We see boys wearing Lederhosen as part of their youth group uniform. In many other instances boys wear Lederhosen while pursuing these activities with family or friends rather with an organized youth group.
Lederhosen were also with a kind of folk jacket for dressier occasions. Austrian boys today more commonly wear Lederhosen for dress-up occassions, often with green or other folk-styled jacket.
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