Figure 1.--This ad for Iron Clad stockings appeared in the March 17, 2004 issue of "The Youth's Companion". Notice that the boy here has one of his stockings on and another off. This suggests that the boy first put on his kneepants and later his stickings. Click on the image to see the August ad. |
We note two ads for Iron Clad Boy's stockings which appeared in The Youth's Companion (March 17, 1904, p. 139 and August 16, 1904, p. 391). They were long stockings. These advertisements emphasized durability since boys who wore knee pants had to way long stockings with them. The knees were particularly vulnerable to wear. Iron Clads were made also for Men, Women, and Girls, but the advertisements tend to emphasize the stockings for boys for
whom special types were manufactured. "Triple Leg, Heel, and Toe" were featured. The color was universally black. No other colors were offered by this company.
Iron Clad was a brand name of Cooper Wells & Co. We know nothing about the company other than it was located in St. Joseph, Muchigan. We notice a similar Iron Clad ad in 1907.
We note two ads for Iron Clad Boy's stockings which appeared in The Youth's Companion (March 17, 1904, p. 139 and August 16, 1904, p. 391). They were long stockings. The publication described itself as "An Illustrated Weekly Paper For Young People and the Family." It was established in 1827. The magazine was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Perry Mason Company, 201 Columbus Avenue. It appeared under this title until 1929. It was in the late 19th century one of the most popular weekly periodicals in America and known for the quality of the writing. The magazine catered to teen-age boys and girls especially, containing articles on sports, on hobbies, and on various literary and cultural interests. But it was really a family magazine and had many advertisements for clothing, both adult and children's. The magagazine had a very strict policy about the advertising carried because its readers were mostly children.
Boys began wearing long stockings in the second half of the 19th Century. Long stockings were not worn earier as long trousers were often worn. Even smaller boys before breeching did not need long stockings as hey might wear pantalettes with shorter dresses. As kneepants became increasing common in the 1870s, boys began to wear long stockings. They were held up with a kind of suspanfer waist. Tights were not worn instead they were a pair of long stockings. When the new knicker style became more popular after the turn of the century, long stockings were stil worn as the knickers were worn above the knee. Boys by the 1920s increasingly buckled their knickers below the knee. This tendency and the increasing popularity of short pants caused boys to shift to kneesocks. After the mid-1920s long stockings were less commonly worn in America and Britain, although they did not disappear. They continued to be worn in worn more commonly in Germany, Poland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries--although tights were also worn in these countries. Many of the garments studied by HBC have evolved in style over time. Long over the kneestockings are a garment that has entirely disappeared.
These advertisements for long stockings emphasized durability since boys who wore knee pants had to way long stockings with them. The knees were particularly vulnerable to wear. Iron Clads were made also for Men, Women, and Girls, but the advertisements tend to emphasize the stockings for boys for
whom special types were manufactured. "Triple Leg, Heel, and Toe" were featured. The color was universally black. No other colors were offered by this company.
The ad text for the March ad read, "A penny saved on a boy's stocking is earned easiest when the mother buys him "Iron Clads" with Triple-Knit Leg, Heel and Toe. We don't want to argue the case, but want mothers to TEST them. Our No. 19 (black) for boys is a wonder in wear and looks, and costs but 25 cents a pair. Iron Clad No. 19. Ideal from the mother's standpoint of mending, saving and cost. Ideal from the boy's standpoint of style and comfort. Don't
take anything in place of "Iron Clads"; send to us first. (25 cents a pair, post-paid, four for $1.00.) Cooper, Wells & Co., St. Joseph, Mich. Makers of 25-cent "Iron Clads" for Men, Women and Children."
The ad text for the August ad read, "Iron Clad St. Joe Knit Seamless Hosiery. If your boy is particular, Iron Clads will please him as much as they will please his mother. Our No. 19 are splendid wearers, made with triple knee, double toe and high spliced heel. They stand the wear, which pleases the mother, and they always look well, which pleases the boy. 25 c. a pair. If your dealer
hasn't them, send us 25c. for a sample pair. (4 pairs, $1.00). Our
booklet, "What Iron Clads Mean to the Family Purse," illustrates a large assortment of Iron Clads for men, women, and children. It solves the stocking problem for the whole family. Sent free. Cooper Wells & Co., 300 Broad Street, St. Joseph, Mich."
One advertisement for Iron Clad long stockings provides suggestions about how boys dressed. We note many advertisements for stocking supporters like garter waists. Almost always they show children with their long stockings on before putting on pants and dresses. We rather concluded from that this was the way that children dressed, first putting bon their long stockings and securing them to the type of stocking supporters that mother had selected for them. We then noted a rather unusual ad showing a boy putting on his long stockings after first putting on his kneepants. We are inclined to think that this was more common than is suggested by the many illustrations in magazxines and catalogs. This is because that it better illustrated the stocking supporters and waists if the boy had not yet put on his kneepants or short pants.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main 1904 catalog page]
[Return to the Main 1900s catalog pagepage]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Cloth and textiles]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
Images
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor hats]
[Sailor suits]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Rugby suits]
[Norfolk suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
[Underwear]