Figure 1.--Here we see three children. All we know about the children is that they are from Pennsylvania. The snaphot looks to us as if it had been taken in the 1930s. The younger boy seems more formally dressed than his brother and sister. The white stockings don't fit very well, this may mean that he didn't wear them very often. We are not sure why. Notice the self-belted shorts, a popular style at the time. I'm not sure if he is wearing white shoes or sandals.

This is the decade during which black long stockings, although still available, began to be a minority style. Various shades of tan and brown replaced black as the dominant colors. In 1930, for instance, we already see boys wearing brown long stockings with their knickers rather than black. Younger boys are seen wearing the new patterned hosiery with short pants (striped and checked stockings). But, as noted above, the patterned stockings seem to have gone out of fashion fairly quickly. Considerable details are available in the Sears 1931 catalog. In 1931 tan stockings dominated the catalog ads for full length hosiery for children. Camel, French tan gray, dark brown, and white were the choices (in addition to black), but only one grade of stocking came in black, whereas several grades had the lighter colors. The same trend is also notable in 1936. Now a new color called "French nude" (flesh color) is being offered along with French tan, camel, white, dark brown, brown. Black could still be had, but is clearly in the minority. Mosdt photograophs we note of boys wearing long stockings during the 1930s are younger boys and the almost alwats are wearing light-brown/tan colored stockings. A good example is a 1934 nursery school. Another indication of the change in color preference is the garter waists ads of the mid-1930s. Wards garter waists for 1936 show the boys and girls wearing only the tan or light-colored long stockings with their supporters. This is also true for the 1937 garter waist ads. Sears showed one boy wearing Sears "Dandy" garter waist with black stockings, but in its more typical ad for garter waists the same year (Sears Suspenders and Stocking Supporters, 1939), the two boys in the illustration are both wearing tan long stockings--now the commonly worn color. By the 1930s black long stockings, although they had not quite disappeared (they might be necessary for funerals or some very formal occasion), were very little seen in everyday life. And the advertisemens reflect this fact.

Black

By the 1930s black long stockings, although they had not quite disappeared (they might be necessary for funerals or some very formal occasion), were very little seen in everyday life. And the advertisemens reflect this fact.

Brown/Tan

Various shades of tan and brown replaced black as the dominant colors. There were quite a number of these shades which are a little difficult to assess, but the light brown or tan shades seem the most common. These were colors that were similar to flesh tones. We see some darker brown colors like chocolate, but the lighter colors seem nore common. In 1930, for instance, we already see boys wearing brown long stockings with their knickers rather than black. Younger boys are seen wearing the new patterned hosiery with short pants (striped and checked stockings). But, as noted above, the patterned stockings seem to have gone out of fashion fairly quickly. Considerable details are available in the Sears 1931 catalog. In 1931 tan stockings dominated the catalog ads for full length hosiery for children. Camel, French tan gray, dark brown, and white were the choices (in addition to black), but only one grade of stocking came in black, whereas several grades had the lighter colors. The same trend is also notable in 1936. Now a new color called "French nude" (flesh color) is being offered along with French tan, camel, white, dark brown, brown. Black could still be had, but is clearly in the minority. Mosdt photograophs we note of boys wearing long stockings during the 1930s are younger boys and the almost alwats are wearing light-brown/tan colored stockings. A good example is a 1934 nursery school. We also see somewhat older children in primary chools wearing tan long stockings. An examole is the Perkins School in 1934. Another indication of the change in color preference is the garter waists ads of the mid-1930s. Wards garter waists for 1936 show the boys and girls wearing only the tan or light-colored long stockings with their supporters. This is also true for the 1937 garter waist ads. Sears showed one boy wearing Sears "Dandy" garter waist with black stockings, but in its more typical ad for garter waists the same year (Sears Suspenders and Stocking Supporters, 1939), the two boys in the illustration are both wearing tan long stockings--now the commonly worn color.

Grey

We are unsure how common grey long stockings were. We know they existed. We note some mention of grey long stockings in the catalogs, but this color was not very commonly mentioned compared to all the tan shades. Grey is difficult to descriminate between light grey and light brown shades in the black and white photographic record. We do note one image archived on HBC with an American boys wearing grey long stockings in a rare color photograph.

White

We see few boys wearing white long stockings by the 1930s, especially the late 1930s. We note they are offered in 1930 catalogs, but we believe that mostly they were worn by girls. Some younger boys might have worn them for special occasions like weddings, but this was not very common. The snapshot here shows that at least some boys were wearing them. Usually white stockings would be worn by formal occassions such as First Communnion, wedings, or other church events.

Created: 11:53 PM 3/10/2005
Last updated: 6:16 PM 4/15/2006