Figure 1.--Here we see a German scene in the late-1930s. Notice that the children are wearing white knee socks as part of dressy outfits. One boy even wears white knee socks with knickers. I'm not sure what kind of building this is. Notice the DJ boy wearing long stockings. A German reader tells us, "It might be a school, but could be any offical building. It is not a church." Given so many children are present, a school seems most likely."

German boys wore different color knee socks. Unfortunarely when short pants and knee socks were most common, photography was mostly black and white. Thus the photographic record does not give us a lot of information about color. We think grey knee socks were by far the most common. The knee socks look grey in the photographic record, but of course colored socks come out a different shades of grey in black and white photography. There are a few color photographs and grey does appear to be a common color for knee socks in the 1930s. We note two unidentified Berlin boys in the 1930s. We do not think boys commonly wore brightly colored knee socks, but our infornation here is very limited. We are less sure about other colors. We can make out black and white knee socks. Unlike long stockings, black knee socks were not common. We notice a few boys wearing black knee socks, but mostly with suits. White knee socks were more common than black knee socks. We note white knee socks and they had a dressy image. Grey knee socks apear to have been mucvh more common. Paterned kneesocks appear in the 1930s, but we note were not worn with Hitler Youth uniforms. We also see white knee socks being worn with sailor suits and for dressy occassions like First Communion. Several boy choirs had uniforms with white knee socks. White knee socks had a dressy immage, but we do not just see them worn with suits. Some boys wore white knee socks to school. And we see boys wearing white knee socks for smart casual events as suits began to decline in popularity. Unfortunarely during the period in which knee socks were particularly common, the photography was mostly black and white. Available color images commomly show boys wearing grey knee socks. We note two unidentified Berlin boys in the 1930s.

Photography

German boys wore different color knee socks. Unfortunarely when short pants and knee socks were most common, photography was mostly black and white. Thus the photographic record does not give us a lot of information about color. And we have only a few color photographs. Color photography was developed in the 1930s and reasonably perfected by the end of the decade. That is why we begin to see a few color Hollywood films in 1939. World War II, however, delayed its roll out in commercial markets. .

Different Colors

We have some limited information as to the color of knee socks. Grey appars to have been the most common color. This is conforned by the few color images we have. The available photographic records suggests that is the case. Cored socjs, however would have shown up as grey. We do not see many black knee socks even though black long stockings had been common. We also see white knee socks. They were generally worn for special occasions when the boys dressed up.

Patterned Knee Socks

Pattened knee socks appear in the 1930s, but we note were not worn with Hitler Youth uniforms. WE most see them after World War II. We are not sure about the colors used.