Figure 1.--Here we see a group of German teenagers on a outing during 1954. Somewhat more than half the boys wear kneesocks. Note all the different patterns of knee socks. Notice the popularity of patterned knee socks.

Knee pants and short pants became widely worn by German boys in the 20th century and thus we have much more information on hosiery from the photogrphic record. We note mostly long stockings and three-quarter length socks being worn in the early-20th century. We see knee socks in the 1910s and they were very common after World War I, although boys wore knee pants or very long-length short pants. Both knee socks and long stockings were worn in the inter-War era. Long stockings were especially common in the Winter. Here age was a factor and to a lesser extent formality. White knee socks might be worn for formality. Both knee socks and long stockings were worn throughout the year, although long stockings were more common in the colder weather. Long stockings were generally replaced with knee socks after World War II, but long stockings were still worn in the late-40s and early 50s. Patterened knee socks were very popular after the War in the late-1940s and 50s. Knee socks were more popular with older boys, but they might wear knickers rather than shorts during the winter. Most German boys after the early-50s wore knee socks by the 1950s, even in the Winter. And we begin to see a lot of boys wearing ankle socks. Knee socks began to decline notably with boys in the 1960s, esppecially with teenagers beginning to wear long pants and jeans more. Knee socks by the 1980s were no longer commonly worn by boys, except with folk outfits where short pants or knee-length lederhosen are worn.

The 1900s

Knee pants and short pants became widely worn by German boys in the 20th century and thus we have much more information on hosiery from the photogrphic record. In the 1900s we ee mostly knee pants. We note mostly long stockings and three-quarter length socks being worn in the early-20th century.

The 1910s

We begin to see knee socks in the 1910s.

The 1920s

Knee socks become very common after World War I in the 1920s. The knee pants worn in the 1900s-10s shift to short pnts in the 1920s. Boys wore knee pants or very long-length short pants, but the trend during the decade was toward hort pants nd horter cuts. Even so we still see long horts at yhe end of the decade. Both knee socks and long stockings were worn throughout the inter-War era. Long stockings were especially common in the Winter. Here age was a factor and to a lesser extent formality.

The 1930s

We continue to see both long stockings and knee socks in the 1930s. The major difference was shorter cut short oants. at the same time we also begin to see nkle socks. White knee socks became popular for formality. Both kneesocks and long stockings were worn throughout the year, although long stockings were more common in the colder weather.

The 1940s

Knee socks were standard for bith boys abd girls during the 1940s. Long stockings began to be replced by knee socks and ankle sock after World War II, but long stockings were still worn during the winter in the late-40s ad early 50s by younger children. We see mostly solid colored knee socks in the 1940s. Grey was the most common color.

The 1950s

Short pants continued to be very common for German boys of all ages in the 1950s, especially the early-50s. This included teenagers, perhaps more older teenagers than was common before the War. A factor here was the economy. Germany was just beginning to recover from the War. Thus children's clothes were not a high priority in the family budget. Thrifty mothers had children wear clothes that they might have been see as growing out of. Thus they put off buying new clothes a little longer than usual. Many teenages preferred to wear shorts with knee socks, butvthis varied fron boy to boy. The group here is aood example (figure 1). By mid-decade the German Economic Miracle had kicked in and family income was rapidly rising. Patterened knee socks for some reason became very popular after the World War II in the late-1940s and 50s. We see a wide range of patterns. Not all boys wore patterned knee socks. We see plain-colored knee sicks as well. Knee socks and ankle socks steadily replaced long stoclings during the dcades, especially during the late-1950s. Knee socks were more popular with older boys who objected to long stockings. Teenagers might wear knickers rather than shorts during the winter. Most German boys after the early-50s wore knee socks by the 1950s, even in the Winter. And by the end of the decade we see a lot of boys wearing ankle socks. By the end of the decade, shirt pants were beginning to bcone seasonal wear. And during the summer we see fewer knee socks and more ankle socks.

The 1960s

We see fewer boys wearing short pnts in the 1960s, especially with knee socks. The 1950s was the last decade in which knee socks were if not universal, very common. We still see them in the 1960s, but to a much lesser extent than in the 50s. This was especially the case by the late-60s. A related trend was that we see more boys wearing long pants. And with long pants, knee socks were no longer needed. Knee socks began to decline notably with boys in the 1960s, especially with teenagers beginning to wear long pants and jeans more.

The 1980s

Knee socks by the 1980s were no longer commonly worn by boys, except with folk outfits where short pants or knee-length lederhosen are worn.