Figure 1.--English schoolboys commonly wore kneesocks. Some schools, however, adopted ankle socks during the summer or sandals without socks. |
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English school children commonly wore long stockings and kneepants in the late 19th century. Some boys wore knickers and might wear kneescks. Rather Boys wearing shorts generally wore grey knee socks, or turn-over-top socks as the British might say. Some school pemitted ankle socks (or sandals and no socks) during the summer. Many schools had socks with the school colors in stripes or a solid bar at the top. This was usually the kneesocks, but a few schools even had ankle socks with colored trim. Many boys wore plain grey knee socks as they were less expensive. Some Scottish schools had colored knee socks. British boys of any age never wore white socks with shorts, except for sports. English boys never wore white socks, except for cricket, as white socks, both ankle and knee socks, were generally worn by girls and thus seen as girls' socks.
English school children commonly wore long stockings and kneepants in the late 19th and eary 20th century.
Some boys wore knickers and might wear kneescks. Rather Boys wearing shorts generally wore grey knee socks, or turn-over-top socks as the British might say. Some school pemitted ankle socks (or sandals and no socks) during the summer. Many schools had socks with the school colors in stripes or a solid bar at the top. This was usually the kneesocks, but a few schools even had ankle socks with colored trim. Many boys wore plain grey knee socks as they were less expensive. Some Scottish schools had colored knee socks. British boys of any age never wore white socks with shorts, except for sports. English boys never wore white socks, except for cricket, as white socks, both ankle and knee socks, were generally worn by girls and thus seen as girls' socks.
While most English school uniforms required kneesocks, some schools introfice ankle socks for wear during the summer. Usually the dress uniform involves kneesocks, but boys at some schools diring the summer wear ankle socks, always grey, as part of the formal uniform. Usually these are plain grey kneesocks, but a few schools have ankle socks with colored bands in the school colors. Diring the winter these schools reintroduce kneesocks.
A very short type of socks have become popular in the 2000s. They are called sport socks because they were first popular with athletes like tennis players. They are designed to basically conform to the shape of the shoe and not show much above the shoe. The effect is that of not wearing socks. We note some British children in the 2000s wearing these socks not just for sports, but with school uniform. The style appears to be to show just slightly above the shoe.
Some schools adopted a everyday school uniform of sandals without socks during the summer months. This includes schoolos where boys wear both open and closed toe sandals.
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