Figure 1.--Eatons in its 1949-50 Fall-Winter catalog offered four types of long stockings. The ad copy describes them as suitable for both boys and girls. The models are both girls. We suspect that by 1950, long stockings were mostly worn by girls.
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Figure 1.--Eatons in its 1949-50 Fall-Winter catalog offered four types of long stockings. The ad copy describes them as suitable for both boys and girls. The models are both girls. We suspect that by 1950, long stockings were mostly worn by girls. |
Eatons offered a range of long stockings in a limited range of colors, black white, and brown (Eaton used the term fawn) shades. They were offered for both boys and girls but the ad models were girls wearing skirts. Long stockings were no longer commonly worn in America, except perhaps the most northerly states. Long stockings persisted for a few more years in Canada.
This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we
begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early
development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
Eatons offered a range of long stockings in a limited range of colors, black white, and brown (Eaton used the term fawn) shades. They were offered for both boys and girls but the ad models were girls wearing skirts. Long stockings were no longer commonly worn in America, except perhaps the most northerly states. Long stockings persisted for a few more years in Canada. The page heading read, "Eaton's--the Store for Young Canada Takes "A" Grades for Junior Hosiery. Husky young Canadians give their hose strenuous wear--at school, doing chores or mixing-it-up in rugged play. From years of experience, EATON'S knows just the hosiery for them--styled to peppy young tastes but chosen with all the prudent detailing for comfort and service that parents demand. Priced at sensible parents demand. Priced at sensible levels for family budgets." There were eight different types of stockings offered. There of the types of stockings offered mentioned that the were for both boys and girls, but the others were apparently primarily for girls.
Here we have four styles of long stockings. Three of them are for boys and girls. The gender apropriatness of the four style is not indicated. They were presented as appropriate for school and everyday wear. The primary color was mid-fawn, but they were also done in black and white. D=None were specified as dresswear in the ad copy although we note the heading specified dresswear.
There were four other styles of long stockings offered on this Eaton's page. These other styles were apparently more for girls. We are not sure yet what about these stockings made them appropriate for girls and not for boys. One factor is length. The two styles that specify girls are thigh-high. The other two styles are the regulr length and there is no gender specified. Mid-fawn was the pribcipal color, but some were done in black and white as well.
A French Canadian reader comments on gender trends, "As I remember, girls wore ribbed stockings less and less and plain one
more and more. At school, sisters forbade pants or nylons. In
progressive families, even young girls wore nylon stockings in cold weather around 9-10 y.o. I remember how stupid I found this practice cruel and stupid when having to go outside. At the same time, boys were wearing "breeches". A memory about breeches. Boys didn't wear long stockings any more BUT they pulled on their breeches long hockey stockings for playing outside in the cold. Without short pants which were usual in hockey games. In other words, there was a frenzy in being dressed with hockey sweater and long colored hockey stockings boys wore for playing outside and even for going to school. There was then no trouble when falling in the snow banks to crush our dear "breeches". I think those breeches were so ugly that any kid liked to wear hockey stockings over them."
A Canadian reader writes, "Long stockings in Canada competed with breeches for boys. There are a section devoted to boys, long stockings in 2/1 and 3/1 ( spaces between ribs). I don't when the last long stockings were offered by Eaton's. I tought it was just in Quebec that long stockings were worn by the late 40s but it looks like that even in 1949-50 that they were worn in other parts of Canada as well. The Eaton's catalog was produced in the more progressive province of Ontario. I suspect that in more conservative provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan, there was a certain resistance to change. I have purchased long stockings for children in states like Ohio, Minnesota, North Dakota and Maine which were predominently agricultural. Why Maine and not Quebec stays a mystery for me. After all, there are many E-Bay sellers who are French Canadians specialized n vintage and never I found this item.
It is clear that girls wore long ribbed cotton stockings longer than boys until the tights revolution in 1965. Some girls wore them
until 1970 but not later, even in the country. But contrary to the United States, long stockings were still worn during the 1950-1965 period in Canada because of the cold Winter weather. I am sure that in the states I mentioned, it was the same. So, in your text on USA, I would be cautious because there are so much difference between north and south and that there was more than a single style in clothing.
A HBC reader writes, "I found the comments of your Canadian reader on the wearing of long stockings in Canada and in the northern states of the USA very interesting and quite convincing. And this would explain the prominence of long stocking ads in the Sears and Wards catalogues of the 1940s. After about 1945, however,
the long stocking ads suddenly drop off in number and prominence (in the American catalogues)." This is an important point. Etons in 1949 devoyed an entire page to long stockings with many different styles of long stockings. Catalogs are not a perfect indicator, in part because a particular company may cater to a specific clientele or introduce new styles that do not prove popular. We believe, however, that the prominence of long stockings in this Canadian catalog in 1949 compared to the limited offering in 1949 American catalogs is an accurate indicator of the relative popularity of long stockings in the two countries.
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