In 1940 as many as 8 out of 10 high school graduate teen boys went to war. The teenage boys and college age young men who remained were part of a new fashion movement that was entirely designed for teens by teens.
Boys adopted men’s clothing for their wardrobe but put on a more casual, relaxed, spin on it. Their styles were not as extreme as the girls but none the less an important shift in fashion history.
Here's a series of photographs of teenage boys taken by
LIFE photographer Nina Leen in Des Moines, Iowa in 1945.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEyFMCKtHS42kz-SZVNLYsN8rL8AEwff7c-URiSkCHPVU2ZIitrVHtJK0tzOLbrFvQ1k0r4vg7NqMl96i0Pxjc704eKn5FpNWQSoX91Ec45KJADyoEloyf5Vktdy21JiDJhG5ET0om6c/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(1).jpg) |
Teen-ager dressed up for a week night date. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42xkvCq6DjTkcvTqw2d3jMYUguiVM9IyAPZTHk9XBRSc94tozyqlA42OLizUiDYrFOgdOxvc3Y4r-GIyrG4IMa5asWuleTrWZQMLo8omkVVnfw1jLYBDD7d3V8b725YfiIR_w-U8bhdU/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(2).jpg) |
Teen-age boy drinking coke and eating crackers in bed. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTxxGPGkmgQ-GTU_LtK3jivIE8fcAdHj8wcNBlFsyrdrjjaGNrTwsCoycmzCnOTNGcugk7eHKkf1ylXMGXWxvZMi8kA2a-oe9QlsuLPPssjTzxy4cEZLbzYgbHpZPDlFbNVnYbJRGleY/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(3).jpg) |
Teen-age boys always carry a comb in their back pocket. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1DE5DIp7SeuE48IMo8vimkZ9IVU1a4SWE36BMfriprhMYee7Nwx8_Ad0yhjlq6_VA5350upTk99GH0z7nphOHohPD2cWcfzVyHV3Hxs6KY8CVnufK0njtugMv16K3CbCHWWH5ZAEvw8/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(4).jpg) |
Teenaged boys working on a 1927 Ford Model T. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aDU_AWJYqjcFW1ufb8xk2I_obENBP_86tZ4UIilzIGRsEaDWadrWjaEcWCFgU-tbS8fn9tLK61fcpaZ3Xcb_bVA_FcQa8NF__WoWGW6GYBYeaXE6QVNSh7MZwNe2xGeOf6vMll9Ctz4/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(5).jpg) |
School dress of average high school boy. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZxcypJnRaSDo8k364cy6oqcHd2e9LTbXf9rcWGeIubVlvTDGS8znbTizoPThNdNqYdjg-bSfRwEOhksqtZ1ZW31nILChu95N5ET8GUV3hMfB5cLPJiGb4whTBwUepY0mMntFtxb0c7E/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(6).jpg) |
Teen-age boy examining results of his first shave, the necessity for which only he could see, at home. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeGH4eae4MFYhc8yUUvMR-RJ7wHq-P3yo2sfxxKnPb3wysFm9N5jtgZmN5ZK5RXbMdNP5imFUatCjJPuf6oNiLnP_eG71Sdsy0owhYxCufhIch4F2sxa3KyqZ29Z2S6_MEONw37h3VgA/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(8).jpg) |
Teen-age boy taking second helping of pork chops. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3_KUhqWHvHEGm3qoXXTCLrRb0TmVmzudU6POckObuwHL5yTEPzfjrz0rOi2VYVUVQwCyH_hjDaZTk0ab5Tjpt4p7lIUf12FEnqGA0ZDWIRqVY-lFvo5m2u98xG21ETglBYFXZ51mqLg/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(9).jpg) |
Portrait of a smiling teen-age boy. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNX-Eh8QqT1K-AVqSN2IZmHHJDlgYrffl44xEJbZbnBr5axNpg5IpC952g2XFXAgZqRPGtUfI-iQqJuhbPDYQnBZMIjiYCtVI_oP820yAotBqjcVTAZ_9I_kTAwkJBKkfWVrzNunRhHc/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(10).jpg) |
Teenage boy wearing sweater w. letter R, relaxing outside. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBv-Up514a3H1KgPvD_f_SamUh_ia2CQa4dRCMQ0y8fPJqUI2JeWCSPzSF_jcucGGiax_oDt-No7FIJ4eYoyEWxMegGv2oYlbnhdqZ5-To5cUUfx4AnpbJkrnElm1SMTHG1lum3W1Iu8U/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(11).jpg) |
Teen-age boy eating large breakfast. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOhRCMKBN_cw1EDyyuSCW5NFgCOrpc9aRaTCyuD0mRisDR9DKO2W4Jl8jE3I8r-qxO72bt-mL9QBNlTUoUnpSJLE87qmu7E43aRa8C8RxYPYSviEhDtiOJ_v2aRaoMbH8dzOqfHU0Ysg/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(12).jpg) |
Teen-age boys and girls eating lunch and drinking milkshakes in drug store. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDE_o_5G-iqgtRaOdeYP0bEd02ph8pb0eK0YbYSPdTqD32MOXp2GQLu4qyT9jE_qawpeWsXWr8KgonZMPkJIzQ2nV4UjTuvZ_C216usBM_yB819vEB-QaHuApewzEO0Q7BFsjeEaYbCeE/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(13).jpg) |
Boy's playing cards in bedroom, which is nothing new, they live in their rooms. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP3uR9cEy88Jcqdxb02X9af-XxTOdraZ2YaBs3WxOAla5MVZdbDW6AWVfeXVV2n5xWjpdlL2xaF3TNnaNhvRhzDyq0z_ySzlHEcqqunElz1ugx-jqQ1MCF0hSHsp4mbo80xl8YRju76E/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(14).jpg) |
Teenaged boys, who are junior members of the Molesters Club (as indicated by large "M"s sewn on the seats of their pants) rather than using a jack, simply lift the car so that the one pulling on tire can change it. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvKEiM35aaNx-Ytf3j8ztS5a7X9PAvAtvaCCqvp1ea9TSLc7BOB54hfKEaBypAP8_yZ2l1n9mnRGCzi0hUYj6Sa6Z-KpSPsqv707yt8_Rxu8wK0KTdyCFvhEKmWuOpLi0y-VOUTBBLS4/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(15).jpg) |
Teen-age boys eating lunch and drinking milk in drug store. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UKgYgOpPix3bSCIp7WFKlOez7TClueJN8BCB6z5PLoVlklAKIq_LFxVc0g4hlSIIGxrcCHCXkn-1gfJAuglkhHzdoaRAht3qL-lGNm6hkpIKNXzBYyRw1cvc-2zpE1oDArVlky3JKEo/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(16).jpg) |
Teen-age boys spend most of their time loafing around. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsYFMNH4xEuRnA2mUGFBNHE-gH1P_anuQC3Bfe6ok9g2tPNKGJj9_DSKqDcHsWxmXCJZzLetqPXgGqOjzW5r5syjsYaO9B1F2LeOwVw7Ts0fUpEmkrd1S4AevhYVr-8WfOF0B_OhHGDA/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(17).jpg) |
Teenage boys hang out in friend's bedroom, drinking Cokes, eating potato chips with assorted paraphernalia - gun, bow and arrows, pinups - visible around the room, Des Moines, Iowa. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXYTksw5OvtdzynzYSEx1mQteqBq1HEL3a4aksQEDPzkcPyWZvgu0rVdnGgUMUYhG0noOj_m1Jdc6Ko61UF4iXeDo0xt2TTlkGeT9alJ2ibUBt71bbc2WtNmd-ObhvNELikvEHdeDYQg/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(18).jpg) |
Next to girls, teen-age boys like sports, usual Saturday afternoon pasttime. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjyIHqR6ZJ2rb4SLgUuXiXKEfkvx0qn55DSJb1H4P0xsc5PFyQAr4JaN9c1MniVgQ9AHU6SK2pjFAfl48t0V1ekVTy8wAgMczI-FIjztKEzn5W2FQ9_tRZ4Ml8AU8GYdLpRKpGElX64E/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(19).jpg) |
Young men in plaid shirts drinking ice-cream sodas at soda fountain. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzf1h5q_uu1FBXoC7cEzYuhn0iUzA7e_Ru3wSCGtp-xgC46aa3ADKrLpM2dA_yax640V_mXsQZ-735sPwVq_95RlIXS3qjfi8TUVXZtKnsb76dTI6iRc_OrFrj8RTrkFCeSPyWXJESLo/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(20).jpg) |
Boy combing his hair and puts in front wave, boys really like wavey hair but not curly hair. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwmHDYFMO_ltdZIztVMy2smr2sf6w8o-qw-_rpQ0iD31EWQW0JAkrVUO7QM06r96vcPpetsVQruQ_9mflHJF64DpSCdy-KmtK2teZtte6Lmn1wdWoT473VtOItmEjLlbVaWkWtqCeROM/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(21).jpg) |
Boys heckling girls at a hen party. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1U82ZB5BrJOMdLWTS4a7zC_Bp02bOSHCH-1KQKfKqFktxs7_Km4sr1KURxaAioFIP8K-uBIBP2TpMh6ra-oFRwN7Gg0_EGQhJHGj8A4kgpI_ODFQ81ETFzHdcbM9SzAWrTa6jUTDWdsU/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(22).jpg) |
Boy eating candy bar in school and getting away with it is quite a trick, usually done under cover of school book. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvJTHMJcx24sQs64-GwHga6vRrn9WVIWC_ekSKxClG0kfbGUDpXew0JxsV-EtQauG4KOxks161_76Ztqnfkx3Y3NA69EEHEedzQF0EdSn-YkU0-thxNYMUgj3l8SoH6aR1Iz6oSOn4Dk/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(23).jpg) |
Teen-age boys like reading sports and comic books at local drug store. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwizewYhs1oG0W9xaWEu9IAIuC41LjLTQRfeySXy0C8qP_mkRsviPVI2XF8PorkFAH86dHyMq7xwQvZPdjfQqdP0sVnPfaxvPKeBYcWA_IZu5kXVx_d5mB74H0Irjvj3f_CF4URvIWBM/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(24).jpg) |
Next to girls, teen-age boys like sports, usual Saturday afternoon pasttime. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmuZ8e-Wc4BwbVVSEuDGneThkUsLXoG_KBL1KH8rhlpPiaX9_RZywm-MeWHZC96r0m-1MJ3uXWTCRKkUlJUTBjq2_dpl6nHo4VZFQDcj5YvH9OfRGK1zOE40sRV8OGJGmipZ8a6nGqYc/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(25).jpg) |
Teen-age boy in garage with father fixing a smashed fender. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oztBfmBcbE0RkbEkZqiROeJpLDY0Sai9_2dZiSq6XdcFPPqPMYkJgTP9qHhu-pQKBMlX3fNxttPG70AUEprPlU6K5L4YbnDWtSrtUWRo_vC6B_cLA4Nqw3EZSMz6IMUozPpoGQXfy9w/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(26).jpg) |
Teen-age boys and girls drinking milkshakes in drug store. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2oyKcTN8L0UBAfNS9wd1NPzd9LP3dM5Ipyz_cX3EPj1f_P4k5EyOwm66kZrbpQGVSoZVeMan0DJyx977ZGCruuKWChFhyphenhyphencrYohjsFOXLAJxc51ivT_u2DRHiDpFl-E_f5taqe2vIIBM/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(27).jpg) |
Teen-age boy wearing Saturday outfit. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNHUwsfJPnyEO0nQxrcAxqYfHWk2a0NM5LBD1tPSR23J9Y4VTYZBhyphenhyphens-UQh010BmFFuwjCCFu1DAWbaXpm4qQhDNhlC7oPC_JQK1_Q6zR8_gg0zxby4Thq5IPfu3tb9JmGB1xuoqcSbY/s1600-rw/Teenage+Boys+of+1945+(28).jpg) |
The local movie theater, boys have a very difficult time finding a place to put their long legs. |
(Photos by Nina Leen, via LIFE archives)