Figure 1.--Notice two types of stripped socks one with varying width stripes and the other with equal width stripes. Also notice the pattern motif mixed in with the stripes on the pair of stockings to the left. Click on the omge for the entire photograph. Also notice the flat and ribbed weave. |
We notice children wearing in the late 19th century wearing stripped stockings in a wide variety of styles and color combinations. The most common pattern of stripped socks were bold stripes, usually two colors, of even width. There were, however, many other patterns of mixed strip widths, striped and solid areas mixed, and even stripes and or solid collors with patterns or motifs. HBC is not sure at this time if these diffrent patterns had conotations concerning gender or age. The stripped stockings we have seen are always horizontal stripes. We have noted vertical stripes in the 19th cenbtury, but not worn by boys. A HBC reader writes, "We were discussing striped stockings yesterday. They were an immigrant thing mostly. They did have vertical stripped stockings. Look at some old dance hall girl pictures where they had cut off skirts. Apparently, the stockings were popular in Ireland where dresses were shorter and more unstructured and the stockings showed more. The appearance in dance hall shots was due to the fact that most dance hall girls were immigrants."
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