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English boys have wore a range of different hosiery types. We note substantial variations over time in both the various types of hosiery as well as for the conventions associated with the various types. over time. British boys became rather associated with short pants and knee socks during the early and mid-20th century, but they are no longer very common. Boys have also worn ankle socks, three-quarter socks, and long stockings. A new type of sock, the sport sock which is a shoerened ankle sock appeared at the end of the 20th century. Unlike some European countries, English boys have never commonly wore tights, although they are widely worn by girls, seasonally in cold weather. Our information is somewhat limited because most of our information concerns the type of hosiery worn with shotened-length trousers. It is much more difficult to figure out the hosiery types worn with long trousers.
We know that long stockings were commonly worn in England. We also see kneesocks appearing substantially before they were common in America. At this time, we have little information indicating the prevalence of long stockings and kneesocks in the late 19th century. We see many boys wearing long stockings, but they do not seem as pervasive as they were in America. We do know that long dark stockings were considered more suitable for older boys and short white socks for younger boys. An English family that we have acquired some information on this and it is shown in how two brothers were dressed about 1900. After the turn of the 20th century, especially with the foundation of Baden Powell's Boy Scouts, kneesocks rapidly replaced long stockings in Britain. We note an English boy wearing white long stockings in 1916. By the 1920s it was unusual to see an English boy wearing long stockings. Girls did continue to wear them. Quite a few girls' schools required girls to wear long stockings into the 1930s and even the 40s.
Knee socks were commnly worn year round for school, play, leasure events, and formal wear. During the summer many boys might wear ankle socks or even sandals without socks. Knee socks were worn with a variety of shoes, inluding sandals. Knee socks were commnly worn year round for school, play, leasure events, and formal wear. During the summer many boys might wear ankle socks or even sandals without socks. Knee socks were worn with a variety of shoes, inluding sandals. Kneesocks were common n England right from when shorts became the common fashion in the early 20th century. We begin to see boys wearing ankle socks during the simmer in the 1940s, but knee socks continued to be common into the 1960s. By the 1970s, short trousers and knee socks became more associated with schoolwear. We note references to school socks. This generally mean grey kneesocks or knee sicks with school colors in the tirn-over tops. A reader writs, "I have told you that in the 1960s once Spring arrived my Mum made us wear ankle socks out of school for casual wear but even in the Summer knee socks were the rule at school and my Mum even thought them more appropriate for "best" (church and so on) rather than short socks. Cubs and scouts also wore kneesocks. This may have been the same in Germany and other European countries - ankle socks were seen as "casual"/play wear whereas for more formal occaisions -- school, church, youth groups, dress up and so on knee socks were more the rule. In England anyhow knee socks for school also allowed the school colours to be displayed prominently on the turn-over tops. I always preferred kneesocks with shorts as I did even out of school. When I went to Germany I wore my school knee socks (neatly pulled up and gartered!) with my sandals even in the height of Summer even though the German boy that I stayed with wore short socks with his but that may have been his Mum's choice. When we went to meet the Mayor he wore white knee socks. (Which I found very odd!) So even there knee socks seemed the done thing for formal occaisions. At home my Mum would have insisted on short socks with sandals out of school which I hated but then again she would not have allowed sandals for formal wear anyhow even though they were allowed at school - with knee socks!"
We see English children wearing white socks in the early-19th century. We are not, however, sure about the length because boys wore long pants and girls as well as younger boys, long dresses. We do note white three-quarter socks by mid century. A good example is Rebecca Solomons fascinating depiction of an idealized Victorian family in the early-1850s. The boy wears white three-quater socks with black strap shoes.
A new type of sock, the sport sock which is a shoerened ankle sock appeared at the end of the 20th century. The sport sock only covered the area of the foot enclosed in the shoe.
Unlike some European countries, English boys have never commonly wore tights, although they are widely worn by girls, seasonally in cold weather. Our archive is still fairly limited. We are not sure yet about the chronology. We believe that long stockings largely disappeard during for boys in the early-20th centurty and for girls duting World War II. Tights appeared in the 1960s, we think the late-6-s, but only for girls. Boys did not wear them. We note girls wearing them in the 70s.
Barefeeet in England was generally seen as an indication of poverty. We think it was fairly common in the 19th century. We also notivce some barefoot children in the early 20th century, but they were primarily street children and working children.
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