Posted by Robert Thompson on 10/14/99 from tenor1.demon.co.uk:
In Reply to: Re: Girls'clothes in AR posted by joe Gallanar on October 14, 1999 at 21:48:07:
I beg to differ, but shorts were exactly what AR meant when refering to Knickers or Knickerbockers. Not one Ransome illustration of any of the children depicts any other type - no sign of any band to tighten and definitely above the knee. Look, for example, at the illustration "The Explorers" in Swallowdale, an occasion when Titty says to Roger, "Don't let your knickers get wet. Roll them up as high as you can."
There are several instances of Ransome's using slightly archaic language or behaviour - maybe knickerbockers was a word still in his vocabulary, but interchangeable with "shorts", especially in the later books (PM - Nancy slapped the pocket of her shorts to check that the stolen ginger wine was still there).