Figure 1.--The illustrator who worked on this edition of Little Lord Fauntleroy picked up on the description of Cedric wearing red long stockings in the text of the book. The illustration itself is not valid infirmation, but the reference in the book published in 1885 is useful informastion.

HBC believes that brightly colored lock stockings were not common. Some boys did wear red stockings. Here we believe there were chronological variations and gender preferences over time. It is difficult, however to determine just how common these bright shades were because of the black and white photography of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately the black and white photography of the era offers few clues. There are a variety of printed illustrations, but it is difficult to know the accuracy of the depictions. There are, however, other sources, especially catalogs. Catalog information is limited until the 1890s when the mailo order companies became important, but there are other sources of information. There are a variety of printed sources. Ms. Burnett mentions that Cedric early in Little Lord Fauntleroy wears red stockings. The Tennysons appear to have dressed their boys in tunics and, on sundays, red stockings. Mrs. Burnett in Little Lord Fauntleroy describes Cedris as wearing red stockings. I am not sure how common this was. Nor or we sure about other colors. And even the catalogs do not describe the hues involved.

Prevalence

HBC believes that brightly colored lock stockings were not common. We know, however, that some boys did wear red and other brightly colored stockings. We are having trouble, however, determining just how prevalent bright colors were for long stockings. The problem of assessing the prevalence of long stockings is complicated by the black-and-white photography of the day. he question is curther complivated by chronological and country differences.

Photography

It is difficult, however to determine just how common these bright shades were because of the black and white photography of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately the black and white photography of the era offers few clues. One of the problems is that not only does 19th century photography not tell us much, but long stockings even in the 20th century were worn before color photography became common.

Other Sources

There are a variety of printed illustrations, but it is difficult to know the accuracy of the depictions. There are, however, other sources, especially catalogs. Catalog information is limited until the 1890s when the mailo order companies became important, but there are other sources of information. There are a variety of printed sources.

Chronology

We are not sure as to when brightly colored long stockings first appeared. It looks to be about the 1860s. We note that brightly colored stripped stockings were also worn at this time. -Unfortunately we have little information about the colors of tose bands. They seem to have been worn into the 1880s. Black long stockings became dominant and comtinued into the 1920s. After World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s we begin to seen various tan shades becoming popular and they were dominant in the 1930s. By the 1940s long stockings went out of stle in America, but continued to be worn in Europe, especially Germany and Eastern Europe. Long stockings continued to be worn in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe/Soviet Union during the 1960s. We believe that some colored long stockings were worn, but we do not yet have details.

Countries

Colors

We have found a ramge of references to specific colors. Ms. Burnett mentions that Cedric early in Little Lord Fauntleroy wears red stockings in a race with other boys. Of course this is novel, but comtemporary books can convey a great deal of fashion information. The Tennysons appear to have dressed their boys in tunics and, on sundays, red stockings. Mrs. Burnett in Little Lord Fauntleroy describes Cedris as wearing red stockings. I am not sure how common this was. Nor or we sure about other colors. Unfortunatley black and white photography provide few clues. We note colorized images. We think that many of these images are accurate depictions, but we cannot be entirely sure, both about the colors as well as the hues. Catalogs often provide color information, but references to color give no undication as to hies.

Conventions

It is difficult to be sure, but we believe that 19th century mothers commonly attempted to coordinate the color of a boy's knee pants suit with the stockings. Thus if a boy wore a blue suit, mother would chose stockings in a bluish tone. We believe this in pat because in the period black ad white portraits, the shades of the suit and stiockings often match or are close. Much less commonly do we see contrasting stockings. This changes un the 1890s when we commonly see boys wearing black stockings with different colored suits.

Hues

While we have found some sources indicating colors, we are not sure anout how bright the colors were. And even the catalogs do not describe the hues involved. Terms like red and blue can mean a very great range od shades ad hues.