35 Vintage Photos of Young Women in Knickerbockers From the 1920s

 

Until after World War I, in many English-speaking countries, boys customarily wore short pants in summer and “knee pants” similar to knickers in winter. At the onset of puberty or sometime in their teens, they graduated to long trousers. In that era, the transition to “long pants” was a major rite of passage.

 

The fashion was imported from the US to Britain around the 1860s and continued until the 1920s, when it was superseded by above-knee-length short trousers (shorts), probably due to the popularity of the scouting movement whose uniform included shorts. Towards the end of this period, knickerbockers may have been more of a “fancy dress” item, for formal occasions, rather than everyday wear. At around 13 years, boys exchanged their knickerbockers for long trousers.

 

Here below is an amazing photo collection that shows young women wearing knickerbockers in the 1920s.