Figure 1.--This boy had his photograph taken in 1931. He wears long short pants with long stockings. He wears black long stokings, but we begin to see more boys wearing lighter shades in the 1930s. He looks to be about 10 years old.

After the early 1930s, long stockings began to decline in popularity, especially among older boys. We still see younger boys wearing them, but older boys more commonly wore kneesocks. The NAZI attitude toward long stockings seem to have been a major factor here. We are not sure just how they were brought to bear. We not, for example, that one very rarely sees Hitler Youth boys wearing long stockings. Long stocking continued to be worn mostly commonly in rural areas. It was at this time that boys shorts began to be cut shorter so that some boys wore long stockings with quite long stockings. The long stockings available in the stores in the 1930s were made longer than those made in the early 20s. We also note lighter shades becoming more popular. One reader comments, "Note thatvthis boy is dressed in knit clothing that mother or grandmother would have made. Certainly his jacket was knitted at home. I think his short pants were alsi knitted, but here I am not sure. Stockings before World War II were also knotted, but the stockings here fit too well to have been knitted." A good idea of German trends in the 1930s can be obtained by viewing school photographs. A good example is the Hermsdorf School in 1934. We noticed a German mother who outfitted her three young sons in identical outfits, imcluding dark long stockings, in 1939.

Popularity

After the early 1930s, long stockings began to decline in popularity, especially among older boys.

Age

We still see younger boys wearing lon stckings in the 1930s but older boys more commonly wore kneesocks. This varied somewhat seasinally as during the colder weather we see mofe older boys wearing them.

NAZI Influence

The NAZI attitude toward long stockings seem to have been a major factor here. We are not sure just how they were brought to bear. We do not, for example, commonly see Hitler Youth boys wearing long stockings. We think the strident masculinity of the NAZI regime dicouraged boys, especially older boys from wearing clothes that were ssociated with younger boys and girls. This was a concern of boys even before the NAZI take over and we think it became more pronounced during the NAZI years. Long stocking continued to be worn mostly commonly in rural areas.

Length

It was at this time that boys shorts began to be cut shorter so that some boys wore long stockings with quite long stockings. The long stockings available in the stores in the 1930s were made longer than those made in the early 20s.

Colors

We also note lighter shades becoming more popular in he 1930s. We still see black and dark long stockings in the early 1930s. Colored stockings became more cmmon as the decade progressed. I am not entirely sure about the colors of dark long stockings. I think dark bown was very common. I do not note if blue stockings were worn. I am less sure about other colors. These dark shades were, however, beginning to change by the late 30s. We then note children wearing lighter colors. Various tan shades in particular were becoming popular. We also note grey, but it was less common. We still see black stockings in the late 30s, but they were becoming more a color to be used for formal dress.

Patterns

There were patterened long stockings and we note a few images of boys wearing them. They were not, however very common. Mostly we see boys wearing solid colored stockings.

Seasonality

Knitting

German boys still wore a lot of home-knitted clothing in the 1930s. One reader comments, "Note that this boy is dressed in knit clothing that mother or grandmother would have made. Certainly his jacket was knitted at home. I think his short pants were alsi knitted, but here I am not sure. Stockings before World War II were also knitted, but the stockings here fit too well to have been knitted."

Schoolwear

A good idea of German trends in the 1930s can be obtained by viewing school photographs. A good example is the Hermsdorf School in 1934. We noticed a German mother who outfitted her three young sons in identical outfits, imcluding dark long stockings, in 1939.