Figure 1.--American boys in the early 20th century were wearing knickers and kneepants at about knee level. Some boys wore them above the knee. For pants of this length, longer stockings were needed than the lonher-length kneepants that were more common until the 1890s.

The HBC categories of stocking length--(1) short, i.e. barely over the knee; (2) medium length (mid thigh); and (3) extra long (covering most of the upper thigh) are generally very useful, and, in general, the historical sequence seems pretty accurate. The general movement is obviously from shorter long stockings to longer and longer ones. But there is clearly some overlap. The key factor here appears to be the clothes that boys and girls were wearing with long stockings. Long kneepants and skirts did not require very long stockings. Short pants and shorter skirts mean that longer-length stockings were needed to cover a child's legs. The general chronological movement is obviously from shorter long stockings to longer and longer ones. The key factor here appears to be the clothes that boys and girls were wearing with long stockings. Long kneepants and skirts did not require very long stockings. Short pants and shorter skirts mean that longer-length stockings were needed to cover a child's legs.

Different Lengths

The HBC categories of stocking length--(1) short, i.e. barely over the knee; (2) medium length (mid thigh); and (3) extra long (covering most of the upper thigh) are generally very useful. It is no possible to neatly classify every pair of long tockings in these three length categories. Some fall between these three major ctehories, which makes them difficult to categorize. Yjese are in general, however, auseful basic categories. The key factor here appears to be the clothes that boys and girls were wearing with long stockings. Long kneepants and skirts did not require very long stockings. Short pants and shorter skirts mean that longer-length stockings were needed to cover a child's legs.

Chronology

The general chronological movement is obviously from shorter long stockings to longer and longer ones. The key factor here appears to be the clothes that boys and girls were wearing with long stockings. Long kneepants and skirts did not require very long stockings. Short pants and shorter skirts mean that longer-length stockings were needed to cover a child's legs. The length of long stockings worn by American boys has varied significantly over time. Early kneepants worn in the 1860s were generally quite long, often down to calf level. For these kneepants, long stockings did not need to be very long and in some cases even long sovks three-quarter length would do. Some boys look to be wearing long trousers they have outgrown rather than actual kneepants. Gradually kneepants became more common and were worn at shorter length. This meant that long stockings needed to be made at longer lengths. Knee pants by the 1890s were being made at knee length, requiring knee socks to be made at lengths above the knee. Short pants began to be worn in the early 20th century and became widely worn after World war I in the 1920s. Early short pants were made knee length like kneepants. Gradually they became shorter. This required even longer length long stockings. There was some overlap. During some era only one basic length was available. At other times, parents had a choice of lengths to purchase.