Figure 1.--This undated German snapshot was probably taken in the 1940s. Notice one boy has pulled his long stockings over his long pants. This was not very common. |
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HBC can only speculate at this time, but does not believe that long stockings were commonly worn with long pants. Photography provides a great deal of information on fashion and clothing, but can not offer any insights here. Some younger boys, however, may have worn them. Long stockings were primarily worn by children. Mothers felt it was important to keep children, especially younger children warm. Thus older children deemed mature enough to wear long trousers, probably were less likely to wear long stockings. We know, however, that some boys did wear them. A reader writes, "HBC has quite a few readers who have shared their long stockings stories and several of the German and Canadian ones stated that they wore long stockings under their long pants for the warmth " Parents had differing views aboutvlong pants. Not all boys wore knickers and shorts. Some parents brought long pants for boys at a fairly young age. It is possible that some mothers insisted that these younger boys wear long stockings. A reader writes, "Interesting photo. You may be correct that the second boy from the left has pulled his stockings over long trousers up to about calf level, but
the next boy over (the one wearing shorts) seems to be wearing his long stockings with long underwear underneath. You can see the bulges. Maybe these boys are on some sort of camping trip and wanted extra warmth as well as mobility." This is a possibility. It also could be associated with the War. AAfter the War many Germans were living in terrible conditions with little heat. Another consideration is the boy wearing long pants and long stockings may have just received his first long pants and was used to wearing long stockings with short pants.
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