Figure 1.--We do not note German children commonly wearing neutral/light-brown shades of long stockings furing the 19th and early-20th century. After World War I in the 1920s we begin to see children, both boys and girls, commonly wearing the tan/bdige shades. This snapshot is undated, but looks like the late-1920s or early-30s. Notice that the boy is wearting long stockings even during the summer. A reader writes, "It is interesting that the older boy is wearing long stockings and short hair while the younger boy on the right is wearing long hair and white ankle socks with white strap shoes. The outfit is similar to ones worn by Otto Von Habsburg and the grandchildren of Kaiser Wilhelm. I would guess the older boy at about 5 or the younger one about 4 years.

German children commonly wore long stockings in the 19th century. We see white stockings in the 1860s, but we do not note light shades that would suggest neutral light-brown shades like tan and beige. Darker shades predominated the stockings worn in the late-19th century. Black was worn and became increasingly common in the 1890s, but never was nearly a common as in America. Clearly other colors were being worn. The black and white photography of the day makes this difficult to assess. We believe that brown was one of the colors, but not the light-brown shades. We think that various shades of dark brown were popular in Germany. As in America and other countries, we think these neutral shades would have been seen as inmodest, suggesting bare skin. The Germans were not as puritanical as the Americans, but still we do not see the neutral light-brown shades. Our German 19th century archive is limuted, but this assessment is confirmed by German readers with substsntial archives of 19th century portraits. We have a much larger collection of 20th century images, both portraits and snapshots, so we are able to assess both casual and formal wear in great detail. German children began commonly wearing socks in the 1890s and even more so after the turn-of-the 20th century. Long stockings did not disappear in the 20th century, but became increasingly seasonal cold weather wear. Color trends for long stockings do not seem to have changes significantly in the early-20th century. We do, however, begin to see changes after World War I in the 20th century. We begin to see children wearing lighter shades. Some are lihjt, but clearly not white. Some were apparently grey, but the tan/beige shades seem to have been the most common of these light shades. Now that it was acceptable to wear short pants with socks, these shades were no longer seen as immodest. They became the most common shade for casual and school wear. White or black might be worn for formal events. As long stockings went out of fashion in the 1950s, it was these tan shades that were being worn.

The 19th Century

German children commonly wore long stockings in the 19th century. We know very little about the early-19th century. But as photography becomes more wide spread, we begin to be able to assess fashion trends in more detail. We see white stockings in the 1860s, but we do not note light shades that would suggest neutral light-brown shades like tan and beige. Darker shades predominated the stockings worn in the late-19th century. Black was worn and became increasingly common in the 1890s, but never was nearly a common as in America. Clearly other colors were being worn. The black and white photography of the day makes this difficult to assess. We believe that brown was one of the colors, but not the light-brown shades. We think that various shades of dark brown were popular in Germany. As in America and other countries, we think these neutral shades would have been seen as inmodest, suggesting bare skin. The Germans were not as puritanical as the Americans, but still we do not see the neutral light-brown shades. Our German 19th century archive is limuted, but this assessment is confirmed by German readers with substsntial archives of 19th century portraits.

The 20th Century

HBC has a much larger collection of 20th century images, both portraits and snapshots. As a result, we are able to assess both German casual and formal wear in great detail throughout the century. German children began commonly wearing socks in the 1890s and even more so after the turn-of-the 20th century. Long stockings did not disappear in the 20th century, but became increasingly seasonal wear. That is not to say that long stockings became exclisively cold weather wear, but it is the case that they became less commonly worn during the summer and very common during the winter. Color trends for long stockings do not seem to have changes significantly in the early-20th century. We do, however, begin to see changes after World War I in the 20th century. We begin to see children wearing lighter shades. Some are lihjt, but clearly not white. Some were apparently grey, but the tan/beige shades seem to have been the most common of these light shades. Now that it was acceptable to wear short pants with socks, these shades were no longer seen as immodest. We do not know yet precisely how this trend developed in the 1920s, but it was clearly in place by the mid-1920s and 30s. They became the most common shade for casual and school wear. White or black might be worn for formal events. By the 1930s, dark long stockings were much less common. And we do not see many dark stickings except for formal events. As long stockings went out of fashion in the 1950s, it was these tan shades that were being worn.

Created: 12:33 AM 10/7/2010
Last updated: 4:48 AM 10/9/2010