Trousers and Pants: Decoration


Figure 1.--We notice some pants done with ruffles. This was most associated with the Fauntleroy craze, but was not very common. It is a little complicated to see because some times boys wore pantalettes with Fauntleroy suits. We probably see more examples in costumed commercial postcards than actual photographs. The large French post card industry created quite a number of examples. Here we see one example, probably from th 1920s.

Pants are usually not decorated. This is more important with shirts and jackets. Pants tend to be primarily plain garments. They may have features like pockets that can be styled, but these are really are not decorations in the sence of a purely decorative item. We have, however, noted a variety of decorations. They tend not to be very common, but they do exist. Perhaps the most common decoration is stripes. We see boys with striped pants, most commonly for some reason in the 1860s and 70s--at lest in America. A good example is the Van Dusen boys in 1870. This wa a military style, perhaps the Civil war was an influence. They were widely used in military school uniforms. We also see them in American summer camp short pants during the mid-20th century. Many summer camps at the time had uniforms. One popular fad futing the 1950s-60s was a little simulated belt on the back of slacks. I think this was an exclusively American style. It disappeared as jeans became more standard in American schools. We notice some pants done with ruffles. This ws most associated with the Fauntleroy craze, but was not very common. It is a little complicated to see because some times boys wore pantalettes with Fauntleroy suits. We probably see more examples in costumed commercial postcards than actual photographs. The large French post card industry created quite a number of examples. We see jeans being decorated with sequins and other aplique beginning in the 1970s, but this was more for girls than boys. We do see apliue used on pants for younger boys, often bib-front pants.

Chronology

Pants are usually not decorated. This is generally more important with shirts and jackets. Pants tend to be primarily plain garments, although they may be done in patterns. They may have features like pockets that can be styled, but these are really are not decorations in the sence of a purely decorative item. Decorating pants seems to have been most common in the 19th century, but not the entire century. We do not have a great deal of infirmstion ion the early-19th century, but we do after the invention of photography (1839). We note dcorated pants most commonly during the 1870s and 80s. The major decoration was stripes, but we note some pants for younger boys with extendice embroidery, usully matching the decoration on the jackrts. Stripes in particulsr were very populr. This seems especially the case for younger boys, but our information is still veryb limited. We do not see many decorated pants in the 20th century, with only a few exceptions. Summer camo uniforms. The short pbnts often had a stripe for some reason. This was common for a long time (1920s-50s). Scout and Cub pants had decorated pockets (1950s-60s). And slacks for a time had little decirative belts at the back (1960s). Perhaps the most heavily decorated pants were the casual short pants that appeared with athletic styling (1970s). And of course it became fashionable to decorate jrans, but this was more common for hirls than boys (1970s).

Types

mWe have, however, noted a variety of decorations. They tend not to be very common, but they do exist. Perhaps the most common decoration is stripes. We see boys with striped pants, most commonly for some reason in the 1860s and 70s--at lest in America. A good example is the Van Dusen boys in 1870. This wa a military style, perhaps the Civil war was an influence. They were widely used in military school uniforms. We also see them in American summer camp short pants during the mid-20th century. Many summer camps at the time had uniforms. One popular fad futing the 1950s-60s was a little simulated belt on the back of slacks. I think this was an exclusively American style. It disappeared as jeans became more standard in American schools. We notice some pants done with ruffles. This ws most associated with the Fauntleroy craze, but was not very common. It is a little complicated to see because some times boys wore pantalettes with Fauntleroy suits. We probably see more examples in costumed commercial postcards than actual photographs. The large French post card industry created quite a number of examples. We see jeans being decorated with sequins and other aplique beginning in the 1970s, but this was more for girls than boys. We do see aplique used on pants for younger boys, often bib-front pants.

Age

The decoration on pants and trousers to an extent varied with age. Most of what we see comes from the second half of the 19th century/ The really elaborate decoration such as fancy emroidery was just for the younger boys. One decoration that was used for older boys, and even adult men, was a verical stripe on the outer leg of the pants. This was a military style. It seems to have been particularly popular in the 1870s, but we notice examples in the 1860s and 80s as well. We notice embroidery on the pants worn by younger boys. The designs were highly variable, including elaborate floral patterns. Often ghey were continuation of jackety designs. Almost always the pants were only decorated if the jacket was decorated. We do not see decorated pants with plain jackets, but we do see decorated jackets with plain pants. Thesehighly deciorated jackets and pants were normally worn by boys up to about 8 years of age. We also see pre-school boys wearing pants with some deciration in the 20th century. This often involved combination-style pants like coberalls or shortalls and aplique mihjt be used.

Gender









HBC






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Created: 2:08 AM 10/30/2011
Last updated: 5:47 AM 1/12/2013