Figure 1.--Little Lord Fauntleroy suits were emensly popular in America. Unlike Europe, they were almost always worn with black or other dark long stockings. Even white Fauntleroy suits were worn with dark long stockings. This began to change somewhat after the turn-of the 20th century, but by this time the Fauntleroy Craze had begun to decline and we see not only fewer boys wearing the suits, but also mostly younger boys. These unidentified children are dressed in white, including a white Fauntleroy suit, except for the dark long stockings. This cabinet card portrait looks to have been taken in the late-1890s. The photographer was the City Portrait Studio in Amsterdam, New York.

For the most part there were no specific American hosiery styles for different outfits and garments. Basically boys just wore the popular hosiery styles at the time with the outfits involved. We have some pages on poular outfits and the hosiery associated with them. This includes dresses, kilt suits, tunics, skeleton suits, sailor suits, Fauntleroy suits, junior Eton suits, and many other outfits. This was kind of running story as both popular outfits and hoisiery changed over time. Of course we are only able to assess this for outfits with skirts and shortenened-length pants where we can determine the hosiery in the photographic record. There is some similarity in the outfits worn in other countries, but often hosiery conventions were different. There were, however, a range of conventions involved in choosing the hosiery for these outfits. Hosiery was of course most associated with pants and trousers. We have some inormation for the various types of shoetened length pants, including knee pants, bloomer knickers, knickers, and short pants. And certain garments became associatd some types of hosiery. Corduroy knickers during the 1920s-30s, for example, were commonly worn with loud, patterened knee socks. The sports-styled shrot pants of the 1970s and 80s became with athletic tube stocks with colorful bands.

Created: 12:27 AM 12/12/2014
Last updated: 12:27 AM 12/12/2014