Figure 1.--This American boy wears long stockings with an argyle pattern. Notice that his sister wears plain lomg stockings, probably beige--a popular color at the time. Image courtesy of the BP collection. A reader writes, " My guess on date would be the about 1930--probably about 1928-32. But the patterned long stockings would be the best clue. Also notice that the hose supporters are of the American type with a Y-shape. I don't recall seeing this kind of garters very often in German photos, but I guess they did exist. This style was much more common in America." HBC notes the hight-top shoes the boy is wearing. High-tops were worn in the 1920s, but were not very common in the 1930s. Click on the image for a fuller discussion of the approximate date of this photograph.

We see some American children, mostly boys. wearing long stockings in varied patterns during the 20th century, but they were not very popular. Or at least they do not seem to have been very widely worn. This is rather curious and we are not sure what was behind the fashion fluctuations. The chronological trends are marked. We do not see patterened hosiery to any extent until the late-1920s. Most American boys boys who wore knee socks wore patterened knee socks, at least by the 1930s. Plain knee socks were more common in Europe, at least until the late-1940s. Long stockings in contrast were more commonly plain without patterns. We do not understand this difference. We note few actual examples in the photograpgic record of American children actually wearing them. We do note them being offered in catalogs during the 1920s and 30s, but apperently they were not very popular. They were worn by both boys and girls, we are not sure if there were gender connotations or preferences. While we have found few examples of children weating these stockings, but if the boys were wearing knickers it is sometimes very difficult to tell. Thus this particular clothing item is difficult to follow because it does not show up well in the photographic record. There were a variety of patterns used in long stockings. We do not see the stripes worn in the 19th century. Rather we see many varied patterns. A good example are long stockings offered by Sears in 1928. We also see argyle patterns.

The 1900s

Black long stockings as in the 1890s were the standard hosiery for American children, both boys and girls. We see girls and younger boys wearing white long stockings for dressy occassions. Black long stockings, however were the standard. We have not yet found any indication from the photographic record of children wearing patterned long stockings. The same is true of other types of hosiery. The primarily option to long stockings was three-quarter socks which were done in solid colors, primarily white.

The 1910s

Hosiery trends seem little changed in the 1910s. We still do not see patterened long stockings. Black long stockings continued to be very common and we still see some white stockings for dressy occassions. The major change we notice is that fewer children were going barefoot, at least we see fewer examples of barefoot children in formal portraits.

The 1920s

Long stockings continued to be very commonly worn in the 1920s. And there was a major change. We begin to see children wear long stockings in tan or beige shades. After the mid-20s, black and white became more of a color for formal wear. We think the fashion trend at play here was that it was becoming acceptable for children to wear short pants and skirts with bare legs. Tan and beige which were more like flesh tones mirrored this trend. Patterened long stockings were not part of this major hosiery shift. We see some American children, mostly boys. wearing long stockings in varied patterns during the 1920s, we think the late-1920s but here we can not yet be definitive. We have very few dated examples. It is clear that patterned long stockings were not very common. Or at least they do not seem to have been very widely worn. While we have found few examples of children weating these stockings, but if the boys were wearing knickers it is sometimes very difficult to tell. This is rather curious and we are not sure what was behind the fashion fluctuations. The chronological trends are marked. We do not see patterened hosiery to any extent until the late-1920s. We see patterned lon stockings in mail order catalogs, but mostly in the late-1920s. This seems to follow our general assessment from the photographic record. We do not see the stripes worn in the 19th century. Rather we see many varied patterns. A good example are long stockings offered by Sears in 1928. Notice that Sears uses the term 'noveklty' suggesting that were in facr somrthing new and different. We also see argyle patterns. The appearance of patterned long stockings seems to mirror the appearance of patterned knee socks, presumably part of the samne fashion trend.

The 1930s

Most American boys boys who wore knee socks wore patterened knee socks, at least by the 1930s. Plain knee socks were more common in Europe, at least until the late-1940s. Long stockings in contrast continued to be mostly plain without patterns. We do not understand this difference because patterned knee socjks were so common. We note few actual examples in the photograpgic record of American children actually wearing the patterned long stockings in the 1930s. We do note them being offered in catalogs during the 30s, but apperently they were not very popular. They were worn by both boys and girls, we are not sure if there were gender connotations or preferences. Thus this particular clothing item is difficult to follow because it does not show up well in the photographic record. If the boy wore his knickersbelow the knee, it is difficult to tell the difference between long stockings and knee socks. There were a variety of patterns used in long stockings.

The 1940s

Knickers and long stockings rapidly went out of style among American children in the 1940s. The long stockings we do see are generally beige or tan. We do not see examples of parterned long stocking in the 1940s.

Created: 6:03 PM 8/21/2008
Last updated: 5:19 PM 11/15/2010