Figure 1.--These German children in the 1950s are demonstraring how they roll down their stockings during the day when it gets warmer. While city children were not wearing longstockings as commonly in the 1950s, they were still worn in many rural areas. Note the pinafore that the girl wears, they were also more common in the country.

Warmth was an especially important factor in which homes and schools were so well heated. Most German homes did not have central heating before the 1950s. As a result, it was very important that children dressed warmly. There has always been an element of seasonality associated with long stockings, although it was not the oinly factor. The importance, however, of seasonality has varied over time. In the late 19th and early 20th century long stockings were no only worn for warmth. While younger children might wear three-quarter socks, it was considered more appropraite for older children to wear long stockings with kneepants. This was especially true for formal occassions such as Church. Note that almost all boyswear long stockings in First Communion and Confirmation portraits taken before World War I (1914-18). After the War, boys wearing short pants suits with kneesocks for formal events become much more common. Thus after the War, long stockings become increasingly worn during cool or cold weather. In that regard, long stockings had an advantage over other hosiery, especially tights. In the morning and evening when it was cool they could be worn pulled up. During the day, when it was warmer, they could be worn rolled down.

Importance

Warmth was an especially important factor in which homes and schools were so well heated. Most German homes did not have central heating before the 1950s. As a result, it was very important that children dressed warmly. As boys often wore short pants year round, except perhaps duriung the really cold winter months, long stockings could help keep him warm. In facr many boys wore long stockings with long pants in the winter.

Warm Weather

Keeping children warm was surely the principal reason for dressing boys and girls in long stockings. We do not, however, just see German children wearing long stockings in the winter. While not so common, some German boys even wore long stockings in the summer. Here there was a range of reasons. Boys and girls in the 19th century might wear long stockings all year round. There were a range of reasons for this, including fashion, formality, and modesty. This became less common, although formality continued to be a factor in the 20th century. Another factor was change of season. Children might continued to wear long stockings until a calendar month, but the weather might turn warm early before mother made the change. Here there were differences from family to family. Another factor is age. Mothers arecespecially concered with keeping yonger children warm. Thus younger children were more commonly dressed un long stockngs even after the weather tuned war,

Chronological Trends

The conventions for wearing lock stockings varied over time. Children in the 19th century commonly wore long stockings all year round and not only during cold weather. For much of the century it was not considered proper for the legs to show, except for very young children. Children might wear heavier stockings during the winter, but wearing stockings all year round was very common. This became an issue when pants and skirts began to become shorter. Formality was not a major issue as people at the time tended to dress more formally than is the case today. This began to change around the turn-of-the 20th century when socks began to become acceptable. While younger children might wear three-quarter socks, it was considered more appropraite for older children to wear long stockings with kneepants. This was especially true for formal occassions such as Church. After World War I, we not only begin to see children increasingly wearing socks, but short pants and skirts began to be worn above the knee. It is at this time that stockings began to be seen as cold weather wear. The shorter pants abd skirts meant that the long stockings were more needed for warmth than when psnts and skirts were longer. Sone children stull wore long stockings all year round, but this rapidly declined in the 1920s and we see in the photographic record that long stockings were worn when the weather turned cool. We also notice a shift to beige and tan colors. While modesty declined as a factor, we increasingly see long stockings being worn for formality, here color was often a factor, Note that almost all boys wear long stockings in First Communion and Confirmation portraits taken before World War I (1914-18). After the War, boys wearing short pants suits with kneesocks for formal events become much more common, but they often swithed to long stovkings in the winter.

Advantage

Concerning temperture changes during the day, long stockings had an advantage over other hosiery, especially tights. In the morning and evening when it was cool they could be worn pulled up. During the day, when it was warmer, they could be worn rolled down.

First Communion

While seasonality is a major factor in waring long stockings, they were also considerd more appropriate for older boys and for formal occassions like church. Note that almost all boys wear long stockings in First Communion and Confirmation portraits taken before World War I (1914-18).

Image

The photograph on this page shoes the girl wearing kneesocks and her brother wearing long stockings (Ifigure 1). Note that he wears ankle socks over his stockings. He also wears short pants, a light colored sweater, collared shirt, and sneakers. Note the pinafore that the girl wears, they were also more common in the country.