Figure 1.--The mannequine here shows off light-blue (brown and grey were more common) long stockings with a patterebned weave. We are not sure as to the chronology of these patterened kneesocks, but this Museum display was meant to illustrate the early 1950s. Image courtesy of the Museum Hosiery Museum.

There were two basic types of patterened long stockings. The first was the type with a weaving pattern in the actual weave, similar to cable weave kneesocks popular in America. The second were more obvious long stockings where the pattern was done in different colors. Here a popular pattern was the diamond Argyle diamond pattern in different colors. At this time we have no information on the chronolog or popularity of these patterened long stockings. The fighure here, a German Hosiery Museum disply, shows a style of boys' long patterned long stockings worn with short lederhosen. The pattern is a sporty jacquard (with diamonds). The color is light blue (brown and grey seems to have been more common in Germany). The boy wears one stocking and holds its mate in his hand to show that he is wearing stockings rather than tights. Notice the typical halter top (suspenders and cross-piece), his long-sleeved shirt with only a neckband collar, and his strap sandals. With his long stockings the boy obviously must wear a Leibchen (or bodice) with garters, probably two for each stocking.

Two Basic Types

There were two basic types of patterened long stockings.

Weaving pattern

The first was the type with a weaving pattern in the actual weave, similar to canle weave kneesocks popular in America. We have noted a number of different weaving patterns. A German reader writes, "This is the traditional form; especially, as it was easily possible to be knitted at home by mother etc., hand-made."

Color patterns

The second were more obvious long stockings where the pattern was done in different colors. Here a popular pattern was the diamond Argyle diamond pattern in different colors. We notice for instance black and red jacquard tights in the linked image and the associated patterned long stockings (black, red, green mixed). A german reader tells us, "This pattern needed round-knitting machines which came up only at the beginning of the fifties. As wearing long stockings did decrease at about the same time it became not very common. Later it appeared again, but with tights."

Chronology

At this time we have no information on the chronolog or popularity of these patterened long stockings. We have noted weaving patterns before World War II (1939-45), bit they do not seem to have been very common. We only notice the colored patterns after the War.

Museum Display

The German Hosiery Museum disply here shows a style of boys' long patterned long stockings worn with short lederhosen (figure 1). The pattern is a sporty jacquard (with diamonds). The color is light blue, brown seems to have been more common in Germany. The boy wears one stocking and holds its mate in his hand to show that he is wearing stockings rather than tights. Notice the typical halter top (suspenders and cross-piece), his long-sleeved shirt with only a neckband collar, and his strap sandals. With his long stockings the boy obviously must wear a Leibchen (or bodice) with garters, probably two for each stocking. The German Hosiery Museum says that it was during the 1950s when they were commonly worn. This looks reasonavly accurate, except we do not believe that light-blue was that common at the time and the sandals look more English than German.

Reader Comments

A reader writes, "This style of patterned stockings became popular with German boys, especially those from Bavaria, in the 1950s. They quickly disappeared in the 1960s as tights rapidly replaced them. I do not think they were worn in the 1970s."

Lederhosen

One reader tells us that patterened long stockings were especially popular with lederhosen. HBC cannot yet confirm this. We have noted knicker-length lederhosen being worn with patterened hosiery by te 1970s. We believe this is more commonly kneesocks or tights. A German reader tells us, "There are always exceptions, but (short) Lederhosen were usually not worn in Winter with long stockings or tights (except in Bavaria countryside)."