Figure 1.--This photograph was taken near Hamelin in 1955 during a warm winter day. The boys in this village wore short pants during the winter with long stockings. These children are playing near a stream. Notice that they both wear similar colors of grey/tan long stockings. Also note that the children were still wearing stockings in 1955 and not tights. Click on the image dfr an enlargement of the children.

Both boys and girls wore longstockings, in masny cases identicial long stockings. There were, however, some gender differences. HBC has little information about long stockings gender conventions in the 19th century. Both boys and girls wore them and I am unsure if there were any important gender differences. Boys and girls in the first half 20th century have both commonly worn long stockings. After the 1920s, however, they were probably more common for girls as older boys began to increasingly wear socks rather than stockings. We note German boys wearing long stockings, however, into the 1950s. Often boys and girls wore the same colors, but there were some color differences. A HBC reader reports that after World War I, German girls rarely wore black and other dark long stockings. Girls did wear brown, beige and grey long stockings, the same colors mostly worn by the boys. Girls did commonly wear white sockings which boys usually only wore for festive occassions. Girls did not in the 20th century wear black stockings which boys might for formal occassions.

Chronology

Both boys and girls wore longstockings, in masny cases identicial long stockings. There were, however, some gender differences. HBC has little information about long stockings gender conventions in the 19th century. Both boys and girls wore them and I am unsure if there were any important gender differences. Boys and girls in the first half 20th century have both commonly worn long stockings. After the 1920s they were probably more common for girls as older boys began to increasingly wear socks rather than stockings. We know that some boys objected to wearing them. We are less sure of girls' attitudes. Our information here is limited and large numbers of boys contnued to wear them, but mothers commonly insisted--primarily for health reasons. In such matters, girls were commonly more compliant than biys. This can be overagerated. We note German boys commonly wearing long stockings, however, into the 1950s. And there are many images where the boys are wearing long stockings and the girls are wearing socks.

Attitudes

We know that some boys objected to wearing them. We are not entirely sure of the reasons. One factor is that they were restrictive and cumbersome, something boys generally object to. Also they complicated drssing, another matter which boys objected to. These were factors to hich even younger boys objected. Older boys did not like the idea that the waists and other support devices had a similarity to women's gardens. All told by the time boys approsched their teen years there was an increasing reluctance to wear long stockings. Here there were also chronolical facrors. Boys' opinions were relatively unimportant in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but after World war I became increasingly important. Thus their objections had increadsing importance. We are less sure of girls; attitudes. Our information here is limited and large numbers of boys contnued to wear them. Girls may have had concerns more based on fashion, how long stockings looked.

Colors

Often boys and girls wore the same colors, but there were some color differences. A HBC reader reports that after World War I, German girls rarely wore black and other dark long stockings. Girls did wear brown, beige and grey long stockings, the same colors mostly worn by the boys. Girls did commonly wear white sockings which boys usually only wore for festive occassions. Girls did not in the 20th century wear black stockings which boys might for formal occassions.