Figure 1.--Here we see an American boy in his new knicker suit. It is done in the Borfolk style. Note the black long stockings. The portrait is undated, but we believe was made in the 1910s.

Black long stockings continued to be the dominant color worn by boys as well as girls. The HBC photographic record clearly shows the prominance of black. Most photographs show children in the 1910s wearing black long stockings. A good example is Harold Crown in 1913. Many school photograps show most and often all of the children wearing black long stockings. A good example is the Newhall School in California. The advertisements for the various kinds of garters and hose supporters continued to show black stockings as the usual thing to wear with suspender waists, pin-on hose supporters, and other kinds of support devices. For instance, the ads for Velvet Grip Hose Supporters in 1911 show boys wearing black long stockings, and so do the 1918 ads for suspender waists (both the Kazoo and the Samson brands). The 1916 Kazoo ad also illustrates boys wearing black stockings. We also note that the ad for Black Cat hosiery in 1916 and the ad for Hickory garters in 1916 also show only black stockings on the boy models. The back-to-school outfit advertised in 1919 shows the boy wearing black stockings with his above-the-knee knickers and black is the only option in the section devoted to his hosiery in this ad. Boys wore black long stockings with dark suits such as the boy here (figure 1). We also notice boys wearing black long stockings with light colored suits. A good example is a boy on a family camping trip. As a general matter while boys might wear black long stockings with a lihht suit, it was unusual to wear light-colored long stovkings with a dark suit. An exception here was very young boys wearing Fauntleroy or other juvenile suits. A reader writes, "I think you are entirely correct here. One does see mostly boys wearing white long stockings with Fauntleroy and other juvenile suits or white tunic suits. HBC has a few such images." This was more common in the 1900s than the 1910s. For the most part, however, the older boys wearing the sack suits normally wore black or other dark stockings with dark suits.

Gender

Black long stockings continued to be the dominant color worn by boys as well as girls. White stockings were more commonly worn by girls, but black long stockings were very commonly worn by both genders,

Prominance

The HBC photographic record clearly shows the prominance of black. Most photographs show children in the 1910s wearing black long stockings. A good example is Harold Crown in 1913. Many school photograps show most and often all of the children wearing black long stockings. A good example is the Newhall School in California. We see some other colors in the 1910s, mostly white. A very large percentage of children, however, wore black long stockings.

Advertisements

The advertisements for the various kinds of garters and hose supporters continued to show black stockings as the usual thing to wear with suspender waists, pin-on hose supporters, and other kinds of support devices. For instance, the ads for Velvet Grip Hose Supporters in 1911 show boys wearing black long stockings, and so do the 1918 ads for suspender waists (both the Kazoo and the Samson brands). The 1916 Kazoo ad also illustrates boys wearing black stockings. We also note that the ad for Black Cat hosiery in 1916 and the ad for Hickory garters in 1916 also show only black stockings on the boy models. The back-to-school outfit advertised in 1919 shows the boy wearing black stockings with his above-the-knee knickers and black is the only option in the section devoted to his hosiery in this ad.

Conventions

We se boys and girls wearing black ling stockings both when dressing up in suits and for casual and playwear. Boys wore black long stockings with dark suits such as the boy here (figure 1). We also notice boys wearing black long stockings with light colored suits. A good example is a boy on a family camping trip. As a general matter while boys might wear black long stockings with a light suit, it was unusual to wear light-colored long stovkings with a dark suit. An exception here was very young boys wearing Fauntleroy or other juvenile suits, especially dressy suits. We see boys wearing black long stockings for virtually every activity and with just about anu outfit. We even note girls wearing them with bathing costumes. We see boys wearing black long stockings with suits going to church or with corduroy knickers to play football or other sports. We also see boys wearing casual outfirs such as swreaters and knickers with black long stockings. While black could be worn for both dressing up and play, white stickings were mostly wore when dressing up, especially by boys. . A reader writes, "I think you are entirely correct here. One does see mostly boys wearing white long stockings with Fauntleroy and other juvenile suits or white tunic suits. HBC has a few such images." This was more common in the 1900s than the 1910s. For the most part, however, the older boys wearing the sack suits normally wore black or other dark stockings with dark suits.

Age

Older boys almost always wore black long stockings in the 1910s. The dividing seems to have been for boys about 8-10 years of age. Older boys rarely wore any hosiery other than black long stockings. A good example is Frank Bailey about 1915. He was about 15 years old. There was more flexibukity for youger boys. The younger boys might more commonly go barefoot. They also mightr wear white three-quarter socks. And younger boys might wear white long stockings when dressing up. But even younger boys very commonly wore black long stockings as well.

Created: 6:56 AM 3/13/2005
Last updated: 12:04 AM 9/23/2006