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American boys for a short period, mostly the late-1920s and 30s, wore knee socks done in argles and many different patterns with a variety of colors. These patterned knee socks were mostly worn with knickers. We do not see them bring weoirn with knee pants, largely because knee pants went out of style before patterned socks became popular. We see some boys wearing short pants with them, but they were much more common with , especially during the 1930s. Earlier long stockings were more common and the long stockings were mostly solid colors. Knee socks patterns varied, including argyles, checks, stripes, crossing stripes, and others. Some were complicated. Others less so. Some time the turn-over-top cuff contrasted with the rest of the pattern. In some instance the sock was a solid color and the cuff patterened. Some were made in bright colors adding a spash of color to a boys rather plain outfits in the 1920s and 30s. We don't know much about the colors used in these patterns because if the black and white photography. We note patterned knee socks being worn with both school wear and play/casual outfits. Interestingly we also note them being worn with suits, even conservative suits for formal occassions. Often boys wore solid-colored long stockings with formal suits, but we often see thee loud patterned knee socks worn with suits.
We do no know why boldly patterned knee socks sudely appeared. It must be someome's idea, but we have no idea just who. And we also do not know why patterned long stockings were not equally popular. There were patterned long stockings both in Europe and America, but they were not very popular. The photographic record clearly shows that mothers bought mostly single colored stockings, often black. But loud, patterned knee socks were an immediate hit, at least in America. This was less true in Europe.
American boys for a short period, mostly the late-1920s (beginning about 1928) and 30s, wearing knee socks done in argles and many different patterns with a variety of colors. Knickers were standard by the 1910s, but they were worn with long stockings, mostly black (1910s) and along with tan shades (1920s). Patterned knee socks along with knickers were srandard boys wear for about a decade. There are coutless snapshots and portraits in the photographic record to substantiate this. The photographic record is so substantial that we have gound many dated examples to establish the chronology involved in some detail. These patterned knee socks, actually knee socks in general fell out of stle (Lte 1930s). We later note as part of preppy style, argyles began to be wirn with Bermuda shorts, but we do not see manyboys wearing these knee socks.
These patterned knee socks were mostly worn with knickers. We do not see them bring worn with knee pants, largely because knee pants went out of style before patterned socks became popular. We see some boys wearing short pants with them, but they were much more common with knickers, especially during the 1930s. This was primarily because knickers were much more common than short pants for school-age boys.
We see boys wearing these patterned knee socks with just knickers for school and casual occassions, but we also see them being worn with suits. atually they were very common with suits. We are still assessing this, but our preliminary assessment is that boys wearing suits with solid colored hosiery were generally wearing long stockings. Boys with patterned hosiery were mostly wearing knee socks. At least is what we have observed so far in the photographic record. And most of the images we have archived show the patterned knee socks, even with conservative suits. This seem somewhat less true for short pants suits than knicker suits, but we are till assessing this.
Earlier long stockings were more common and the long stockings were mostly solid colors. Knee socks patterns varied wudely. The best known is rgyles, but this was one of veritable endless variety of patterns and color mixes. It is difficult tonunderstand why long stockings were so unchanged, single colors for so long and why black ws co common when there prived tonbe sych a market for loud patterns for knee socks. The patterns inclused: argyles, checks, bands (odren described as stripes), crossing stripes, rpeated devices, and much more. Some were complicated. Others less so.
Some time the turn-over-top cuff contrasted with the rest of the pattern. In some instances the sock was a solid color and the cuff patterened.
Some of thee patterbed knee socks were made in bright colors adding a spash of color to a boys rather plain outfits in the 1920s and 30s. We don't know much about the actual colors used in these patterns because if the black and white photography. Here mail order catalogs help a little.
We note patterned knee socks being worn with both school wear and play/casual outfits as well as dressing up. They may look like casul hosiery, to our modern eyes, but that that is not how they were perceived at the time. . Interestingly we also note them being worn with suits, even conservative suits for formal occassions. Often boys wore solid-colored long stockings with formal suits, but we often see thee loud patterned knee socks worn with suits.
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