Buster Brown Long Stockings (Late-1930s)


Figure 1.-- Here we see an American pair of Buster Brown long stockings. Buster Brown was a major shoe company and for a while an important hosiery company. Buster Brown long stockings were worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s and 1930s in the United States. We have no actual date for these vintage long stockings, but I suspect that they date from about 1935-36 because of the designation "extra long", which became a popular selling point from the mid-1930s onwards when boys' short pants and girls' dresses started to be worn much shorter than had previously been the case.

One vintage hosiery item on HBC is an American pair of Buster Brown long stockings, probably from the 1930s. Buster Brown was a major shoe company and for a while an important hosiery company. Here are two photos of vintage Buster Brown long stockings worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s and 1930s in the United States. We have no actual date for these vintage long stockings, but I suspect that they date from about 1935-36 because of the designation "extra long", which became a popular selling point from the mid-1930s onwards when boys' short pants and girls' dresses started to be worn much shorter than had previously been the case. With shorter trousers and skirts, the long stockings needed to be knit much longer so that the fasteners of the hose supporters to hold them in place would not be visible. Several of the ads for long stockings during this period advertise stockings as being "extra long". Wards, for instance, in 1933 were selling "Extra Long Playhard" stockings and claiming, "Mothers know that these sturdy stockings do away with with unsightly garters peeping out from under the popular short skirts or pants."

Buster Brown

Buster Brown was a populsar early 20th century cartoon character. The comic strip character Buster Brown was one of the most popular characters in turn-of-the-century America. His characteristic wide-brimmed sailor hat, red tunic, floppy bow, and strap shoes worn with bangs made the tunics worn by boys at the time an even more popular style. His creator R.F. Outcault was an early marketing genius and licensed the use of the character to many companies. The besr known today is of course the Buster Brown Shoe Company.

Buster Brown Brand

It was shoes that are the best known use of the Buster Brown character for marketing. Beginning at the World's Fair in 1904, Buster Brown became a household name in children's footwear. John A. Bush, a sales executive with Brown Shoe Company, came up with the idea that Buster Brown would be a perfect symbol for the compny's line of children's shoes. Brown Shoe Company was named for the company's founder George Warren Brown and not Buster. Bush persuaded the company to purchase the rights to the name from Outcault. The company then introduced Buster Brown Shoes to the public in 1904 during the St. Louis World's Fair. Bush went on to become president of the firm in 1915 and Chairman of the Board in 1948. Bush promoted the brand with national print, radio, outdoor, and eventually television advertising. The company eventually came out with a line of sturdy oxfords for boys. They named the strap shoes that both Buster and Mary Jane wore as "Mary Janes". I am not sure just when they did this. The name stuck with the public and Mary Janes became an American term for strap shoes and a staple in any well-dressed little girl's wardrobe. Today, Buster Brown remains one of the most recognized children's footwear brands, and is featured at mid-tier and department stores across the United States. It was not just Buster Brown shoes that were sold, but related products like socks and stocking supporters. Buster Brown shoes were produced by Frank Maynard. A recent introduction of a new logo and related promotional programs continue Buster Brown's reputation as one of the most famous brands of children's footwear in the United States.

Long Stockings

Long stockings were very common hosiery for boys and girls in the late-19th and early 20th centuries. They were widely worn both in North America and Europe. The popularity and length varied over time and differed some what from contry to country. Black long stockings were especially popular at the turn of the 20th century, but they were made in many different colors. Brown and other tan shades became populasr after World War I.

Extra Length Long Stockings

With shorter trousers and skirts, the long stockings needed to be knit much longer so that the fasteners of the hose supporters to hold them in place would not be visible. Several of the ads for long stockings during this period advertise stockings as being "extra long". The Wards 1933 catalog, for instance, were selling "Extra Long Playhard" stockings and claiming, "Mothers know that these sturdy stockings do away with with unsightly garters peeping out from under the popular short skirts or pants." Other ads of the period such as this Sears 1936 catalog noted that the longer-knit stockings with their "extra length" come "well up under the short pants and skirts" then being worn by children. In a later Sears 1943-45 catalog the ad copy pointed out that their Pilgrim full-length stockings were manufactured to minimize "knee strain" and garter pull, their extra length providing greater coverage for the upper leg and insuring that supporters "won't show under short pants and skirts."

Chronology

Here are two photos of vintage Buster Brown long stockings worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s and 1930s in the USA. We have no actual date for these vintage long stockings, but I suspect that they date from about 1935-36 because of the designation "extra long", which became a popular selling point from the mid-1930s onwards when boys' short pants and girls' dresses started to be worn much shorter than had previously been the case.

Age

An additional point worth noticing is that the examples shown here are at the upper end of the size scale--9 1/2 and 10. Long stocking sizes were keyed to children's shoe sizes. For instance, a boy who wore size 6 shoes would require a stocking size of 9 1/2; a boy who wore size 6 1/2 or 7 shoes would need stockings in size 10. So these Buster Brown stockings seem to be made for boys and girls from about 11 to 13 or 14 years of age.

Color

Although black and white stockings were available, the great seller was beige or a light tan color which sometimes had a slighly pinkish tinge to resemble flesh tones. These Buster Brown stockings are an excellent example of the color trend in the mid-1930s.

Material

These Buster Brown stockings in the illustrations appear to be very smoothly and elastically knit so that they cling to the leg and don't look baggy. Most boys' and girls' stockings in the 1930s were a mixture of cotton and rayon for greater wear and elasticity and were fairly light weight for greater dressiness.







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Created: 7:31 PM 5/6/2006
Last updated: 7:31 PM 5/6/2006