Figure 1.--The photo was taken at the Delta Cotton Mills, in McComb, Mississippi during May 1911 by Lewis Hine. He was documenting child labor. The photo shows three possibilities allowed by convention at the time concerning footwear and hosiery: 1) bare feet and legs (kneepants/knickers); 2) bare feet and covered legs (long trousers); and 3) shod feet and covered legs (long stocking with knee pants or knickers or long trousers). Bare legs were not generally acceptable when wearing shoes. An exception was that we see some younger children (usually from affluent familes) wearing shoes and three-quarter socks with tunic suits or knee pants during the summer. We see more boys going barefoot in the 1900s because if tghe development of the snap shot. Earlier most ohotographs were formal studio portraits. Source: Library of Congress LC-DIG-nclc-02072.

We notice a variety of American hosiery conventions over time. As far as we can tell in the 18th century, American boys wearing knee breeches always wore hosiery covering the legs when wearing shoes. Although boys might go barefoot, especially in rural areas--and at the time most of America was rural. On the frontier boys might long pants, although we are not sure about that but going barefoot was common. At the turn of the 19th century, long pants became standard for boys, at least fashionable boys in cities. We are less sure about rural areas. The lack of photography severly limits the the available imagery and our ability to assess trends and conventions. We believe that American boys commonly went barefoot, especially during the summer. Wearing shoes and hosiery was more common in the city. We begin to get a good fix on changing hosiery conventions with the development of photography. An photograpic industry quickly developed in America (1840s), althogh popular poses usually did not capture footwear. This changed with the development of the CDV, but as boys almost always put on shoes for the portrait, assessing conventions is complicated. We do begin to lean more about hosiery conventions because at mid-century we begon to see shortened-length pants for boys. The basic convention in America is that legs, even children's legs should be covered. Thus when shortened-length pants appeared, we see the children wearing long stockings, even very young children. In Europe younger children might wear socks, but this was much less common in America. There was one major exception, however, when goiung barefoot, legs did not need to be covered. Thus you almost never see children wearing shoes without socks or with short socks. This basic trend did not begin to change until the turn-of the 20th century. We begin to see boys wearing tunic suits and bloomer knickers with socks and younger boys wearing knee pants with socks, mostly during the summer. School age children almost always wore long stockings to school during the early-20th century. Boys in rural areas might come to school barefoot, but in the cities boys almost always wore knee pabnts and knickers with long stockings covering their legs. We begin to see knee socks in the 1920s, but they were not widespead until the 30s. And for the first time we see boys wearing knickers with ankle socks in the 30s. The convention of coverings legs disappered in the 40s, although boys began weating long pants to a much greater extent. And coming to school barefoot significantly declines. As sneakers became increasingly popular, we see some children wearing them by the 1970s with out socks. This was more common with girls than boys.

The 18th Century

We notice a variety of American hosiery conventions over time. As far as we can tell in the 18th century, American boys wearing knee breeches always wore hosiery covering the legs when wearing shoes. Although boys might go barefoot, especially in rural areas--and at the time most of America was rural. On the frontier boys might long pants, although we are not sure about that but going barefoot was common.

The 19th Century

At the turn of the 19th century, long pants became standard for boys, at least fashionable boys in cities. We are less sure about rural areas. The lack of photography ahd the long pant severly limits the the available imagery and our ability to assess trends and conventions. We note that white siocks of some kind weee common. We believe that American boys commonly went barefoot, especially during the summer. This means that there were reginal differences because there weemore warm-weather months in the South than North. Wearing shoes and hosiery was more common in the city. We begin to get a good fix on changing hosiery conventions with the development of photography. An photograpic industry quickly developed in America (1840s), althogh poses usually did not include footwear. This changed with the development of the CDV, but as boys almost always put on shoes for the portrait, assessing conventions is complicated. We do begin to lean more about hosiery conventions because at mid-century we begon to see shortened-length pants for boys. The basic cionvention in America is that legs, even children's legs should be covered. This appears to be a matter of modesty not warmth. Throughout the mid- and late-19th century, American children ore long stockings rather thn socks. This was true refardless of when the portaits weee taken, both winter and summer. Thus when shortened-length pants appeared, we see the children wearing long stockings, even very young children. In Europe younger children might wear socks, although this varied from country to country. This was was much less common in America. There was one major exception, however, when goiung bsrefoot, legs did not need to be covered. Thus you almost never see children wearing shoes without socks or with short socks. We do not note boys barefoot in studio portraits for most of the 19th century. Only in the late-1890s di we begin to see this. We are nor entirely sure why all of a sudden we begin to see some boys barefoot in these portraits. Usually such phortraits were taken at what look to be very basic studios.

The 20th Century

This basic trend about hosiery did not begin to change until the turn-of the 20th century. We begin to see boys wearing tunic suits and bloomer knickers with socks (1900s) and younger boys wearing knee pants with socks, usually three-quarter socks (1910s), mostly during the summer. We see boys at summer camp wearing long stockings. The Boy Scout in England introducd short pants and knee socks. This help introduce knee socks for outdoor activities, alhough American Scouts wore knicker-lke breeches. A related phenomenon is boys having portraits taken, often family portraits, in bare feet. vThis is not tosay going barefoot was not common earlier, byt ootraits wihout shoes abd socjs were rare. That was not very common in the 19th century as dressing up for a portrait usully meant wearing shoes and socks. School age children almost always wore long stockings to school during the early-20th century. Boys in rural areas might come to school barefoot, but if thy wore shoes, they wor long stockings. Yhe same was true of boys wirkingg after leaving school. In the cities boys goingbto school almost always wore knee pants and knickers with long stockings covering their legs. We begin to see knee socks with knickers in the 1920s, but they were not widespead until the 30s. We still see boys either going barefott or wearing shoes and stockings at summer cmps in the 1920s, although short oant and socks were by this time more common. We also see boys earing shot pants with socks during the 1920s, especially by the mid-20s. And for the first time we see boys wearing knickers with ankle socks in the 30s. The convention of coverings legs disappered in the 40s, although boys began weating long pants to a much greater extent. And coming to school barefoot significantly declines. As sneakers became increasingly popular, we see some children wearing them by the 1970s with out socks. This was more common with girls than boys.

The 21st Century

Created: October 31, 2001
Last updated: 11:58 PM 12/11/2014