Figure 1.--Boys generally wore flat-weave stoclings when dressing up. This was true even during the winter. Not this boy wears long underwear under his stockings.

We see an explosion of snapshots as a result if the Kodak Brownie in the first decade of the 20th century. Thus for the first time, we have large numbers of casual photographs, so we see children wearing long stockings in casual settings rather than just formal portraits. We note both nany examples of both ribbed and non-ribbed stockings. We are often unable to assess available images. It is no a;ways clear as to wehther flat weave or ribbed stockings were worn. We note children wearing both flat and ribbed long stockings. As far as we can tell, however, the flat-weave stickings were by far the most common. At least this is what mom purchased in the greatest quantities and is what the larger number of children are wearing. We do not know if the boys and girls had their own preferences here. The flat weave stockings seem to have been preferred when dressing up. We have seem boys and girls wearing ribbed stockings when dressing up, but the flat weave seems to have been much more popular when dressing up, especially for formal occassions. We believe that children wore both types of ling stockings to school. Ribbed stockings may have been especially common at schools in in Canadian and other norther countries. Our information is, however, limited. We do not yet have an adequcate collection of images to make country assessments. Ribbed stockings were particularly warm. We believe that ribbed stockings were especially common in northern countries like Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia but we do not yet have the images needed to demonstrate this.

Assessing Images

We are often unable to assess available images. It is no a;ways clear as to wehther flat weave or ribbed stockings were worn. A revealing photo of two Pittsburgh brothers, taken in 1906, for example shows both types of stocking weave. The older boy wears ribbed long stockings with knickers buckled below the knee, whereas his younger brother wears either very short knee pants or above-the-knee knickers with plain-weave black stockings. I am not sure about age conventions here. I suspect that both the boys had both kinds of stockings and just by hapenstance selected the different types, although we are not positive.

Popularity

We note children wearing both flat and ribbed long stockings. As far as we can tell, however, the flat-weave stickings were by far the most common. At least this is what mom purchased in the greatest quantities and is what the larger number of children are wearing. We do not know if the boys and girls had their own preferences here. A good example are the Spencer boys from an upper-middle class Pittsburgh family. They wear the standard plain- weave long stockings with their knee pants in 1900.

Dresswear

The flat weave stockings seem to have been preferred when dressing up. We have seem boys and girls wearing ribbed stockings when dressing up, but the flat weave seems to have been much more popular when dressing up, especially for formal occassions. Two very dressed-up Russian brothers in white sailor suits with matching long white stockings, during the 1900s, wear the expected plain-weave stockings for a smooth appearance. The same plain weave in black stockings is shown in a 1900 photo of an American boy in a sailor suit sitting beside a fish bowl. Two American boys of different ages in knee pants and plain black stockings (1900s) are seen sitting on steps outside a building with their dogs. Wearing neckties, they seem to be fairly dressed up-—perhaps for Sunday school. A Montreal teenager wears plain black stockings in 1901, using round garters rather than the most customary hose supporters. Boys from wealthier families who wanted to wear strict formal dress could be fitted out with adult-style tuxedos, as shown by a 1901 advertisement for boys’ suits. The suits had knee pants, of course, and were worn with smoothly woven black long stockings. A charming photo of Fred Arthur Rowe from Spencer, Iowa, shows him wearing a double breasted knee pants suit with a bow tie and what seem to be plain black stockings or at least stockings woven in a very fine-gauge ribbing. An image of a 1908 Chicago boy in a knee pants suit, plain black stockings, and white gloves (Fig. 3) illustrates the dressy appearance that may boys of the decade adopted or were forced to adopt. The smooth texture of the stockings adds to the general elegance. Although not as common, we also see noys dressing up with ribbed stockings as well. A German boy wears an elegant knee pants suit with Eton style white collar and heavy black ribbed stockings. Another German boy, photographed at the turn of the century, wears a Norfolk-style knickers suit over long ribbed stockings. A 1905 photograph of William Dougherty, wearing ringlets, an elaborately fashioned sailor suit, and ribbed black stockings shows that ribbed hosiery can be just as formal in effect as the more common plain-weave stockings. An unidentified American boy wears a sailor suit with ribbed stockings in 1905.

Schoolwear

We believe that children wore both types of ling stockings to school. Ribbed stockings may have been especially common at schools in in Canadian and other norther countries. Our information is, however, limited. Many school impages we have archived are class or other group images without sufficient resolution to detect ribbing. Ordinary plain black cotton stockings for school are well illustrated by a class of Meredith, New Hampshire, American school children in 1901. Even the older boys seem to be wearing knee pants. A 1903 advertisement for children’s 4-thread hosiery seems to be aimed mainly at school-age girls and boys. Here we see the standard plain-weave stockings that were so common all over America. The 4-thread feature was obviously meant to appeal to mothers who knew how quickly boys and girls could wear through the knees of their long stockings. Later on, stockings for boys were often made with extra reinforcement over the knees, but these stockings seem to be knitted with four threads throughout.

Country Trends

We do not yet have an adequcate collection of images to make country assessments. Ribbed stockings were particularly warm. We believe that ribbed stockings were especially common in northern countries like Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia but we do not yet have the images needed to demonstrate this. Ribbed stockings seemed to have been particularly popular in Canada. In 1900 a Canadian boy from the prominent Molson family wore rather widely ribbed black stockings with his immaculate white sailor suit. Ribbed stockings were also popular in northern American states such as Minnesota, New York, and Maine. At age 7 (1904) Harold Fitzroy-Carrington, wore black ribbed stockings with widely bloused knickers and a tunic suit. A year later we see Harold again—this time at Christmas in a double breasted winter overcoat and dark tan ribbed long stockings obviously held up by hose supporters. A 1906 photograph of the nattily dressed Gibbs family in England shows the two younger boys wearing smooth-weave long black stockings, obviously held up by what the British call “suspenders” (the term for hose supporters in Britain). A German boy with a floppy bow, matching knickers, and heavy woolen ribbed stockings shows up in a 1905 photo. Again notice the relative looseness of these stockings, due in part to their material and weight. An interesting historical photo of 1905 shows the famous Russian novelist Leon Tolstoy chatting with two Russian children who both wear long black stockings. The boy’s hosiery seems to be of the smoothly knit variety, but it could be very finely ribbed since the stockings seem to very form-fitting under the boy’s short knee pants, gathered with elastic around his thighs (see Fig. 2).

Other Outfits

On of the more delightful photos of the period (1905) shows an American boy fully fitted out in a white band uniform. He seems to be about twelve. He makes a stunning appearance with the white knee pants smartly set off by the plain weave or at least narrow-gauge rib of the black stockings.