Figure 1.-- Thus while they may not be commonly worn to school in the big cities, many boys still apparently wear them in mny areas of Russia both to school and at home. One factor here may be that Russian homes are not as well heated as homes in the Europe and America. This photograph is undated, but we believe was taken in the early 2000s.

Russian readers have provided us some information about tights in contemporary Russia. It is clear that Russian boys do wear tights. The photographic record shows large numbers of children, both boys and girls, wearing tights. We note younger boys wearing them at school and quite a number of boys wearing them at home. We are not sure just how common tights are. We see large numbers of boys wearing tights at home, but it is difficult to tell how common this is. One complication is thar Russian boys wear long pants during the winter, even younger boys. Thus it is difficult to tell if boys are wearing tights.

Regional Trends

A HBC reader in 2004 writes, "Currently boys older than 6-7 years old do not wear tights in Moscow or in St. Petersbourg, but in small towns and especially in rural areas boys still wear tights under long or short pants, like 20-30 years ago, till they are 12-13."

Popularity

Another reader also informs us that Russian children still wear tights, although it is less common to wear them with short pants. Thus while they may not be commonly worn to school, many boys still apparently wear them at home. One factor here may be that Russian himes are not as well heated as homes in the Europe and America. A reader writes, "Boys wearing tights in modern Russia is in no way a rare phenomenon. Many boys wear tights to school. Boys commonly wear tight and home and outside. They are also very commonly worn by younger boys at school."

Schoolwear

Many boys wear tights with shorts to kindergarden. Nearly all contemporary boys (95 percent) wear tights up to age 7 both with short and long trousers. At primary school grades 1-3 (7-9 years) wearing tights under long trousers is not at all rare. A good example is children at ABC Day. Many parents choose to dress boys in tights. Usually boys wear tights to school with long trousers. They may wear tights at home with shorts, but usually not to school.

Pants

Boys may wear tights to school with long trousers. Some boys may wear tights with short pants at home, like the boy here (figure 1). But by about age 10 boys will commonly object to wearing tights with short pants outside the home. The point is that modern Russian boys do wear tights. Approximately 50 percent of contemporary Russian boys up to 10-11 years wear tights as suggested by their parents. Usually there is no objection to wearing them with long pants or at home. [HBC note: Presumably the parent's concern here is keeping their children warm in cold weather.]

Homewear

The photographic record shows large numbers of children, both boys and girls, wearing tights at home. We see boys wearing a variety of shirts with tights. We note quite a number of boys dressed this way at home at home. We are not sure just how common tights are. We see large numbers of boys wearing tights at home, but it is difficult to tell how common this is. The number of images in the photographic reecord, however, suggests that it is a fairly widespread convention. Many boys wore them without pants. I'm not entirely sure why, I think it was just comfortable. We suspect that this reflects boys taking off their school pants. Some boys slipped on short pants. Others do not bother. We suspect that these photographs are taken during the winter or other cold days, but it is difficult to tell with indoors photographs. We note boys playing with toys and musical instruments, working on computers, as well as engaged in a variety of activities dressed like this. I think they may served as pajamas and boys go to bed wearing tights, but this has to be confirmed. They actually are similar to footed pajamas.

Colors

Boys most commonly wear brown, black, dark blue and gray colors as in the old times when long stockings were worn. Notice the dark blue tights the boy here is wearing (figure 1). Boys do not wear transparent thin tights. These are only worn by women or girls. Also boys do not wear tights with different colored figures, with exception of very small boysstill dressed by their parents. Boys in the 1970s might wear white tights up to about 9-10 years of age for the holidays and the formal occassions. They might even be worn by younger Pioneers, but not as part of the official uniform. Some boys instead of white kneesocks wore white tights for formal events. As a rule these were younger Pioneers, elder Pioneers did not wear tights because they probably would have been teased by the other boys.

Material

These tights are either cotton or with the addition of razlinykh woolen or artificial threads.

Manufacturer

It is possible that within the next few years this mode again can return to the majority of boys, because some Russian enterprises producing tights recently on the labels of their production frequently began to place the images not only of girls, but also boys in tights. Moreover the boys are not just little boys as was the case earlier. Here you see the label from children's tights which now are sold in Russian stores. I'm not sure how to write the manufaturer's name, something like Amar.

Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Russain page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronologies] [Countries] [Style Index]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [Frequently Asked Questions] [Links] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Created: March 6, 2004
Last updated: 1:50 AM 12/8/2008