Figure 1.--

By the 1870s, as knee pants became increasing popular. American boys almost always wore long stockings with kneepants--except when going barefoot. Other countries had different conventiions. French boys, for example, often wore three-quarter length socks. Long stockings were mostly wool stockings. More expensive stockings might be made of cashmere or even silk. Boys wore the same long stockings as worn by girls and women--only the sizes varied. Most long stovkings were black. There were other colors, but black by far were the most common. These long stockings continued to be worn by children, including older boys and girls, throughout the late 19th Century.

Sears Catalog, 1897

Sears in 1897 advertised long stockings. There were two types. Infants stockings were for children, boys and girls, through age 5. A larger sizes for children, boys and girls, ans women were made in cashmere. The only color offered was black.