Figure 1.--This American boy had is portrait taken in the late 19th century. The portrait is undated, but we suspect was taken about 1890. Almost all of the boys photographed at the time were wearing long stockings, often black long stockings like the boy here. Earlier the long stockings were more diverse.

As knee pants became increasing common in the 1870s, increasing numbers of boys began to wear long stockings. American boys wearing knee pants almost always wore long stockings. The only exception were boys going barefoot. This was a considerable number of boys which doesn't show up in the photographic record because it was mostly studio photography. The decade began with knee pants and long stockings being primarily at stylish fashion for city boys in fashionable big cities to an increasingly standard style for younger boys which was the case in the 1880s. Then in the 1890s we begin to see increasingly older boys wearing knee pants and long stockings. By the end of the 1890s this mean large numbers of teenagers. Only in rural areas do we see knee pants being restricted to mostly younger boys. And here we see many boys going barefoot with knee pants rather than wearing long stockings. Tights were not worn although you get the impression as long stockings could be quite long. This was in part because there is a general shortening of knee pants. We still see longer knee pants at the calf level in the 1870s, but had reached the knee level by the 1890s. Boys wore long, mostly wool stockings. They were the same long stockings as worn by girls, including the color, with only minor differences. These long stockings continued to be worn by children, including older boys and girls, throughout the 19th Century. Both boys and girls wore the same long stockings. I'm not sure if there were color differences. Many children wore white long stockings in the 1860s, but this rapidly changed in the early 1870s with boys and girls commonly switched to dark long stockings and white stockings virtually disappeared.. We also see many children, both boys and girls, wearing striped long stockings in the 1870s. This was not unique to the 1870s, we also see striped stockings in the early-1880s, but they were most common in the 1870s. Colors were at first varied, including brightly colored stripped stockings. Gradually dark, solid colored stockings became the dominate style for boys. Long stockings were held up with a kind of suspender waist, but we are not sure when this first appeared. Initially mothers many have just pinned the stockings or made their own make shift garters. Much of the information we have on stocking supporters dates after the turn of the century.

Decade Trends

Long stocking decade trends generlly follow the samr pattern as knee pants. HBC at this times believes that long stockings developed as the same time as knee pants. It was not considered appropriate for boys or girls to have bare legs, except for the very youngest. As boys began to wear shortened-length pants, the short socks they had worn with long pants were replaced with long stockings. We see that to some extent in the 1860s, but many boys were still wearing long pants. It was in the 1870s that we begin to see large numbers of boys wearing knee pants and thus long stockings. As knee pants became increasing common in the 1870s, boys began to wear long stockings. They were mostly younger boys, but large ni=umbers of then. Tights were not worn instead children were wearing long stockings. They were the same long stockings as worn by girls. Fashion articles provide some information about hosiery. Harper's Bazaar in a 1877 article "Small Boy's Clothes" suggested that socks which at the time were three-quarter length should be only worn by younger children, but that most boys wore long stockings. Long stockings continued to be worn by children, including older boys and girls, throughout the 19th Century. We have numerous portraits from the late 19th archived on HBC. A good example here are two Indianapolis brothers wearing fancy Fauntleroy blouses and floppy bows. Unfortunately many are undated. We can usually make a rough approximation, but of course that is not as good as an actual date. Especially it makes it difficult to sort the images by decade and better identify trends

Age

It was permissible for young children to wear short socks, primarily three-quarter socks with dresses, but long stockings with kilt suits. Most boys wore long stockings once breached and wearing knee pants, boys over 5 years rarely appeared without stockings. The principal exception was boys who might go barefoot during the summer. There was a huge shift of aging during the late 19th century. We see mostly younger boys wearing knee pants in the 1870s, especially the early 70s. The age of boys wearing knee pants and thus long stockings. Steadily during the late=19th century we see the age of boys wearing knee pants and thus long stockings steadily increasing and thus by the end if the century, we see many teenagers wearing knee pants and long stockings at least in fashionable cities. Most of this shift, especially the popularity of teenagers wearing knee pants and long stockings occurred uin the 1890s.

Gender

Both boys and girls wore the same long stockings. Of course this was only the boys wearing knee pants. We are not sure if there were color differences. Many children wore white long stockings in the 1860s, but this rapidly changed in the early 1870s with boys and girls commonly switched to dark long stockings. White stockings for whatever reason virtually disappeared. The black and white photography of the day. All we see are dark long stockings. May were black, but there were also darblues, browns, birgundy, gray, and green. his is impssoble to deter,ine by the photograpic record. So we do not know if gender differences determined the choices, although lighter dark colors suggest they were colored. We also see many children, both boys and girls, wearing striped long stockings, especially in the 1870s. The striped stockinmgs were not unique to the 1870s, we also see striped stockings in the early-1880s, but they were most common in the 70s. We believe the stripped socks were more common for boys, but both boys and girls were wearing them. And they see more brighter colors with the boys striped stockings. They were done in an amazing array aof colors and stripped patterns. But because of the black and white photography we can not derermine if tghere were gender differences. We are not sure if there were other gender distinctions.

Conventions

Long stockings developed for two primary reasons. The first reason was modesty. It was not considered appropriate for children to have bare legs, except for the very youngest. The second reason was warmth. As pants got shorter, concerned mothers thought it was necessary for boys to wear the longer stockings to keep their legs warm in the cold winter months.

Material

I believe that long stockings were mostly wool during the 19th century. Dressy stocks were available in silk.

Colors

Long stockings appeared in many different colors in the late 19th century. Riotous color combinations in stripes were worn in the 1870s and early 1880s. We note 4-year old Gordon Bently in 1879 wearing dark stockings with only a thin stripe Gradually dark, solid colored stockings became the dominate style for boys and wee widely worn in the 1890s. We also notice boys wearing white long stockings, both with dresses and knee pants although this varied over time. An example is a younger boy in a white dress during the 1870s. Colors are difficult to assess. We assume that the stockings that look like white are white and not light-colored stockings. Black long stockings became dominant in the 1890s A good example are two unidentified Iowa boys in the early 1890s.

Lengths

Long stockings were not made very long. As knee pants were worn at lengths from the knee to the calf, long stockings only had to extend a little above the knee.

Hose Supporters

Long stockings were held up with a kind of suspender waist, but we are not sure when this first appeared. Initially mothers nmay have just pinned the stockings or made their own make shift garters. Much of the information we have on stocking supporters dates after the turn of the century.

Advertisements and Catalogs

Contemporary advertisements and catalogs provide a great deal of useful information.

An American Department store (Lord & Taylor) indicated in 1881 that: "Children's stockings are usually ribbed and are as fanciful as possible. The foot in fine stripe of gay color is separated by the plainer top by bands of gold-color, blue, or dull red. Black stockings are liked for children with bright Madras stripes of blue, red, or yellow, or strewn with small polka dots. Half hose or socks are preferred during the warm weather for little ones under five. They are in lisle-thread, in the color, and often in open-work patterns." The company offered the following types of stockings:
White socks: Lord & Tayor in 1881 offered white socks for children in sizes 4 in to 6 1/2 - 7 in, both full length and 3/4 hose.
Plain color socks: Lord & Tayor in 1881 offered plain colored socks for children in sizes 4 in to 7 in, both full length and 3/4 hose.
Striped socks: Lord & Tayor in 1881 offered striped and fancy striped socks for children in sizes 4 in to 6 1/2 - 7 in, both full length and 3/4 hose. Silk hose: Lord & Tayor in 1881 offered 1/2 and 3/4 silk hose in both sandal-lace and plain colors for children in sizes 4 in to 6 in.

Created: May 17, 2000
Last updated: 3:56 AM 9/16/2023