Figure 1.--These were full-length long stockings, but made to look like knee socks. the lower part looks like darl kneeocks with plaid looking turn over to. The upper part is a neutrl color, presumbly beige, beige colored so that the overll look is knee socks. Tus moms could dress the kids warmly and the kids could have the knee socks look they prefer. We believe that these stockings were mostly worn by girls who wore skirts and dresses during the winter. Boys mostly wore long pants during the winter, so the look of their hosiery was inmaterial.

These were full-length long stockings, but made to look like knee socks. the lower part looks like dark knee socks with plaid looking turn over to. The upper part is a neutrl color, presumbly beige, beige colored so that the overll look is knee socks. Tus moms could dress the kids warmly and the kids could have the knee socks look thy prefer. We believe that these stockings were mostly worn by girls who wore skirts and dresses during the winter. Boys mostly wore long pants during the winter, so the look of their hosiery was inmaterial. The ad copy read, "The originator of these mercerized cotton stockings really had something. They're really full lengths, but the top partis neutral color so they look like mid-length socks. That satisfied the children and the mothers at the same time! The colors to the knee are deep and rich."

Sears

The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.

Chronology

These long stockings were offered in the Sears 1940 catalog. They would thus be purchased primarily for going back to school and winter wear.

Items

hese were full-length long stockings, but made to look like knee socks. the lower part looks like dark knee socks with plaid looking turn over to. The upper part is a neutrl color, presumbly beige, beige colored so that the overll look is knee socks. Tus moms could dress the kids warmly and the kids could have the knee socks look thy prefer. We believe that these stockings were mostly worn by girls who wore skirts and dresses during the winter. Boys mostly wore long pants during the winter, so the look of their hosiery was inmaterial.

Ages

The size offerings suggest that these were mostly for primary-age children.

Ad Copy

The Sears ad copy read, "Fine Full length Stockings: Knit of Mercerized Cotton for Wear. 24c pair. 3 pair 69c. Style of mid-lengths. Warmth of full lengths. The originator of these mercerized cotton stockings really had something. They're really full lengths, but the top part is neutral color so they look like mid-length socks. That satisfied the children and the mothers at the same time! The colors to the knee are deep and rich. Plaid cuffs with Lstex in them. Heels and toes are reinforced. Colors: Brown, Hunter, Green, Maroon, Navy, Blue. Sizes: 6, 6½, 7, 7½, 8, 8½, 9, 9½, 10. State size, color. See Size Scale. Page 339. Shpg. wt., pr.., 4 oz; 3 ps., 10 oz. 86F2871. "

Popularity

Notice all the fdifferent colors and a priominant page. This suggests to us that Sears was anticipating extensive sales. We do not notice these stockings as well as long stockings to any extent in the photographic record. The declining populrity of long stockings with children, however, was to string a trend for adverisers to deal with. After1940 we see increasinly less prominant lon stockings ads in both the Sears ad Montgomery Ward catalogs.

Terminology

Notice that Sears uses the term'mid-lengths. This was their term for knee socks. Knee sicks were mid menths between ankle socks (and earlier three-quarter socks) and long stockings which Sears calls 'full-length' stockings.

Mercerized Cotton

Mercerized cotton is cotton fabric that has been treated with caustic alkali under tension, which increases the strength, luster, and afinity to retain dye. The term is named after an English calico merchant who developed and pattened in 1850 a process to print patterns on calico material.

Lastex

Lastex was a yarn that was trademarked by the U.S. Rubber Company. It had an elastic core wound around with cotton or other material (silk, nylon or rayon) threads. It was used in sewing and weaving. The U.S. Rubber Company as early as 1934 also began producing Laytex.

Sources

"Science: Laytex after Lastex." Time (October 15, 1934).

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Created: 11:31 PM 9/29/2012
Last updated: 11:31 PM 9/29/2012