Young American Boys

• Knickers, bow ties, starched shirts, white socks and clean haircuts marked the wardrobe of the proper little boy entering the 1950s. It was not long, however, before the knickers were replaced with knee-length shorts and ultimately by long slacks. The alteration in the length of boys' trousers was primarily due to the fact that shorts were becoming a summer fashion, rather than a year-round part of boy's attire. This fashion change was not accepted by all parents, however, as knee-length shorts with suspenders were commonly worn by many little boys.
  
  

Teenage American Boys

• In the early 1950s, 5 million Americans had their own television sets in their homes. Although those sets were all black and white, they brought the world into American living rooms, including the fashion of such iconic figures as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly. For teenage boys, television taught them that a "man" wore long pants -- primarily jeans -- and that a t-shirt and a leather jacket were all that were needed to round out a wardrobe. Of course many boys opted for a school letter jacket, rather than leather. The style was casual, expressed youthful freedom and was a far cry from little boy knickers.
  
  

English Boys

• The "Teddy Boy" look was for a boy with an attitude. The Teddy Boy was a young, English male struggling for status and independence. Sometimes a member of a gang, sometimes not, the Teddy Boy wore a long, Neo-Edwardian wool jacket that draped over his torso and was trimmed in materials such as velvet or silk. The nicer the jacket, the more status the Teddy Boy had, although the Teddy Boy jackets were quite expensive by 1950s economic standards. The Teddy Boy look was accentuated by starched white shirts, black strong ties, close-fitting slacks, waistcoats and suede shoes.
  
  

Special Events

• While English and American boys substantially altered their daytime clothing to change with the times, special events still called for the suit and tie. A white shirt, slender, long tie and dress slacks were common at some events, while formal occasions called for tuxedos.