Trousers and Pants: Country Differences

boys short pants
Figure 1.--After World War I, short pants became very popular for boys--especially in Europe. Here we see a German boy in the 1930s. American boys were more likely to wear knickers. We at first thought theboy was American. Notice the Opel insignia on the car.

We are developing country pages for trousers and pants in different countries to assess individual country trends. The pages developed so far are for America, Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. Trends in some of these countries were very similar. But there were also some notable diffrences which varied over time. . In particular there were considerable differences between North America (America and Canada) and Europe. We are unsure why such considerable differences developed in the 20th century. there were considerabke similarities at the tuen of the century and by the 1970s we again begin to see increasing simillarities.

America

American boys have worn a wide variety of pants, including knee breeches, kneepants. knickers, short pants, and long pants. The were the basic types of pants worn by boys, but there were stylistic differents over time. Kneepans were worn at different lengths. Knickers were of varying fullness. Short pants were worn at different lenths. Long pants were also worn at different lengths and with or without cuffs. Some elements like suspension, belt loops, pleating, flies, and pockets were elements in different kinds of pants. The popularity and conventions for wearing these different styles of pants has varied over time. There have also been regional and social class differences. Fashionable styles in Europe and America were quite similar during the 19th century. We note differences developing in the 20th century, especially after World War I.

Belgium

Belgian boys mostly wore kneepants in the late 19th century, but short pants became more common by the 1910s, and were mostly worn by Belgian boys after World War I. It is often difficult to identify the two as the first short pants were quite long. Belgian boys also common wore short pants. Short pants at the times were a boys' garment. By the 1930s, a girl might wear shorts for sport or at the seaside, but they remained parimarily a boy's garment through the 1950s. The cut of girls' shorts were not the same as the short pants worn by boys. Older boys might wear knickers. Belgium is a very traditional country. Boys in Belgium continued to commonly wear shorts even after other boys in Europe were wearing long pants and jeans. Corduroy appears to have been a popular material.

Canada

We note many Canadian boys wearing knepants in the late-19th century. Knickers were very common in the 1920s and 30s, but by the 1940s long pants became inceasingly important. Her American styles seem more inflential than British styles with many Canadians. He climate may have been an important factor. Knickers were very common in the 1920s and 30s, but by the 1940s long pants became inceasingly important. Pre-teen boys from affluent families often wore short pants. I'm less sure about French-Canadian boys who often came from low-income families. Boys that wore short pants commonly wore them with kneesocks or even long stockings. Modern Canadian fashions are today little different than American fashions, although the summer clothesm especially short pants, are somewhat less common because of the climate.

England

English boys have worn kneepants, short pants, knickers, and long pants, although the chronology is somewhat different than in America and other countries. Until the 20th century, the types and styles of trousers appear similar in both England and the Continent and America. Modern trousers appeared in the 17th century. Knee breeches were standard thrrought the 18th century. An exception here were the long pants skeleton suits that boys began wearing in the late 18th century. Long trousers were sandard in the early 19th century. Various style of shortened-length trousers became popular for boys beginning in the mid-19th century. At first only little boys wore them, but they gradually became popular for older boys as well. Some garments like short pants which became popular after World War I became almost associated with English boys--although they are not now commonly worn in England except during the summer and at a few schools. After World War II, especially by the 1960s, long trousers became increasingly popular for boys. Short trousers continued to be worn at school for a while. Graddually shorts became more casual, summer wear.

France

French boys have worn the same stles of pants as worn in other European countries. Knee breeches were worn in the 18th century. Long pants and keepants were worn in the 19th century. Quite old French bots wore kneepants. Younger boys wore them with smocks ro scool. Knickers and short pants became common in the 20th century. Most French boys after World War I wore short pants. Older boys wore knickers as did some younger boys during the winter. Some suits were made with both shorts an knickers. Some younger boys were allowed to wear knickers during the winter. Long pants became more common in the second half of the century.

Germany

German boys like other European boys have worn a wide variety of pants or trousers. German boys have worn knee breeches, kneepants, sort pants, knickers, and long pants. Leather lederhosen are strongly associated with Bavaria and Alpine areas of neighboring countries. The types of pants worn have varied chronologically with knee breeches perdominate in the 18th century. By the 19th centurty a wider variety of styles were worn. By the late 19th century the boys' age began to increasingly affect the style of pants worn. Kneepants were widely worn by the turn of the 20th century. Afterwards short pants became increasingly common with knickers worn by older boys. Throughout the 19th and 20 centuty long pants were also worn, but became increasingly common by the 1960s.

Italy

Italian boys have worn kneepants, long pants, knickers, and short pants. Boys in the early 19th century commonly wore long pants. At mid century knnepants and knicker bloomers appeared. These were often worn as parts of suits. Kneepants were very common at the turn of the 20th century. The Boy Scouts helped to popularize short pants in the early 20th century. Short pants were very commonly worn by Italian boys through much of the 20th century. I am not sure just when the style developed in Italy, but by the 1910s they were being widely worn by Italian boys. The length was knee level at first, but began to shorten in the 1930s and boys by the 1940s were wearing rather short cut shorts. During World War II (1940-43), Fascist authorities decreed short pants for boys inder 16 years of age. Older boys in the inter-War era might wear knickers. Knickers were usually worn as part of a suit. Jeans began to appear in Italy during the 1960s, a decade that saw substantial changes in Italian boys clothes. Jeans began to appear in Italy during the 1960s, a decade that saw substantial changes in Italian boys clothes. At the beginning of the decade, Italian boys were still wearing mostly short pants suits.

Russia

A reader writes, " Why then Soviet children still wer styles from the 1930s after World War II? It is a mystery for me and just East Germans , Russians or any other behind the Iron curtain could answer this. Is it because moms in USSR were more dictating what ought to be wornt like a minority of moms in America ? One reaon could be the following. Females outnombred males after WWII in Germany and Russia. So, matriarchy was predominantly high for something like twenty years and more after the war ?







HBC







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Created: 11:27 PM 6/1/2007
Last updated: 11:27 PM 6/1/2007