Figure 1.--This CDV portrat shows an unidentiufied English boy wearing a wide-brimmed hat and velvet knee pants outfit with white three-quarter socks. He has a toy gun. The studio is Rees in Clapham, a London neighborhood. The portrait is undated, but looks like the 1870s.

Hosiery is a little difficult to assess when boys wore long pants, but as shortned length pants became common we are able to assess hosiery in detail. And shortened-length pants were common in England for more than a century. Americans boys almost always wore knee pants with long stockings, except when going barefoot which was common in the 19th century. We also note English boys wearing long stockings in the 19th and even the early 20th century, but we also notice younger boys wearing socks even before the turn of the 20th century They were commonly three-quarter socks because high-top shoes were so common. We do not see knee socks to any extent until the 20th century, exceptt with kilts. White sdocks were common, but long stockings were usually black or dark colors. Here age was a factor. We see younger boys wearing socks with knee pants. Older boy almpst always wore long-stokings. This is somerthing you almost never see in America. One way of destinguishing some American and English images. Boys wearing socks with knee socks became, however, much more popular after the turn-of-the 20th century. Here Baden Powell and the new Boy Scout movement may have been a factor here as short pntsand knee socks were part of the uniform for the new organization.

Created: 12:06 AM 3/29/2022
Last updated: 12:06 AM 3/29/2022