Bobby-soxers were a subculture of American young women in the mid-to-late 1940s. Their interests included popular music, in particular that of singer Frank Sinatra, and wearing loose-fitting clothing, notably bobby socks. Their manner of dress, which diverged sharply from earlier ideals of feminine beauty, was controversial. As a teenager, actress Shirley Temple played a stereotypical bobby soxer in the film The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947).
The presence of bobby soxers signaled a shift in American youth fashion. Businesses and corporations noticed that they were able to profit from the burgeoning consumer power of teenagers—especially among girls—and began to aim products at younger buyers, creating a new subset of American culture. Teenagers became more prominent in society as they participated in activities such as dancing and going to the movies. Music and dancing grew more popular among teenagers in the 1940s; the most popular types of music were swing and jazz, which were favored by bobby soxers. The increased popularity of music made it a big part of the lives of bobby soxers, as they frequently discussed their favorite musicians with each other and bonded over records. Another common phrase used was "bobby sox girls". The phrase derives from the ankle socks often worn by female high school students; these socks were usually paired with loafers or saddle shoes.
History
thumb|American bobby soxer, circa January 1946
In the early twentieth century, teenage girls did not receive much attention from producers of consumer culture and popular culture. Around this time, women began accessing the public sphere with the help of an increase in commercialized leisure. This included public entertainment spaces such as movie theatres and dance halls. Sinatra was declared by The New York Times as "the first modern popstar" who "gave pop music a beating heart." His early music was emblematic of adolescent love as he sang from the perspective of a young man smitten with the girl of his dreams. Parents feared that their bobby soxer children's infatuation would impact their burgeoning sexuality and taint their innocence, but with Sinatra being married at the time, swooning was eventually not seen as a threat to the youth of bobby soxers. The content of these songs often focused on courtships rather than taboo topics such as sex. In addition to differing women's styles, media scholar Tim Snelson notes, such "rebellious" styles included a "'craze for wearing men's clothing' and [a] combination of white bobby socks and 'moccasin-type shoes'..." However, as bobby soxers grew into their twenties, they soon followed teenage norms of the time and began settling down with husbands and children. Such portrayals came at a time when cultural fears in the United States centered around female youths engaging in sexual activity; these films corresponded with the fears of the general public over a rise in delinquency among young girls. Hollywood producers wanted to use child stars such as Temple and Jane Withers for teenage roles as actresses such as Judy Garland evolved into more adult performances. Temple and Withers' performances were often criticised and their films failed at the box office. In 1961, for instance, recordswhich sociologist Jessie Bernard describes as a crucial aspect of teenage culturewere reported to sell $75 million worth of copies annually.
In addition to material purchases, the power of bobby soxer friend groups was equally important to the teen culture. Former bobby soxers who became housewives with part-time work developed a noticeable peer culture with each other, setting the stage for teenage culture to grow in years to come. Author Kelly Schrum noted that at the start of the 1900s, teenage culture was insignificant and essentially non-existent; by the start of the 2000s, teenagers were a prominent presence in American culture with high spending power.