The Plus Four

Another wonderful item in a vintage style men's wardrobe would be the so called 'Plus four' ending four inches under the knee, hence the name. Other varieties are the 'Plus two', the 'Plus eight' and Knickerbocker. The style was introduced in America by Edward Prince of Wales during a diplomatic trip in 1924. It seems to fit in perfectly with the looser clothing style of the 1920's. The trousers are worn with argyle socks, silk neckties and dress shirts and sweaters. Some are worn as complete suits, like Louis Armstrong is wearing in the photo on the right.

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Louis Armstrong in Plus fours with argyle socks.

The Norfolk suit

A tailored sports coat, with partial lining

The Plus four or Knickerbocker is very suitable for sports and the outdoors. For hunting it would be worn as part of the Norfolk suit (the name derived from the hunting suit of the 19th century Duke of Norfolk) made of a heavy tweed or plaid for the cold and wet English weather.

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The Knickerbocker derived from the Dutch settlers in the 1600's in what is now New York. In 1809 writer Washington Irving wrote the satiric 'A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty' under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, later known as 'Knickerbockers history of New York'.
With the publication of Irving's book, the Dutch settler 'Knickerbocker' character became synonymous with New York City. Hence the name of the famous basketball team the New York Knicks.

The Dutch settlers and native Americans about 1600. Notice the short puffed trousers.

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Palle Huld in Moscow

Later the Plus four was made famous by Tintin, the famous comic book Character by Hergé, presumably based on the actual person Palle Huld. In 1928 a Danish newspaper ran a centennial about  author Jules Verne. The winner would re-enact the globe-circling voyage undertaken by Phileas Fogg in Verne's bestselling novel 'Around the World in 80 Days'. Strangely enough to our modern ideas, the contest was only open to teenage boys. Freckle faced and red haired Palle Huld traveled the globe, dressed in Plus fours.

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Today the Plus four is most commonly known as a golfers outfit. And since the Plus four was worn often during sports and outdoors, we now can understand why golfers love to adorn themselves with puffed trousers and checkered socks.

Edward the Prince of Wales as painted by Wiliam Orpen

Two College undergraduates wearing Plus fours

A ladies Plus four advertised in a catalogue

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read more:
Jocks and Nerds, Men's style in the Twentieth Century, Richard Martin and Harold Koda

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