Figure 1.--Assessing the color of long stockings is very difficult. We know that black long stockings were very popular in America during the 1900s when this photograph was taken. The American children here are wearing dark long sdtockings. Two of the children are clearly wearing black long stockings. We are not sure if the other two are wearing black stockings which have faded from washings or a dark color like brown.

Assessing the colors of long stockings is very difficult. Our HBC website depends heavily on photography. We have a varietyb of sources, but photography is by far the most important. For America we have extensive catalog information available in such detail for other countries. The reliance on photography presents a problem. Almost all the photographic record is composed of black and white images because color photograph did not become common until after long stockings had gone out of style. Thus our ability to idebtify color is limited. We can of course discern light and dark stockings. The dark stockings during the late-19th and early-20th century were commonly black. There were a range of other dark colors such as blue shades, brown shades, burgandy, red, and other that show up as dark. It is impossible to determine the precide shade. There were also light shades. White is often deiscernable, but we cannot determine what the color was from the photiograph. Other sources suggest that these light shades were various light browns such as tan and beige. Other American sources such as catalogs, illustrations, limited color photography, and vintage clothing suggest that the light-brown shades were the most common. A Russian reader informs us that the same was the case in Russia during the Soviet era. We are less sure about Germany. Our initial impression is that the light shades were mostly neutral, light-brown shades. We know, however, there were also grey shades. One reader tells us that the grey stockings were mostly darker shades, but we can not yet conform that. We note Russian children wearing long stockings done in light grey shades.

Dark Shades

The dark stockings during the late-19th and early-20th century were commonly black. There were a range of other dark colors such as blue shades, brown shades, burgandy, red, and other that show up as dark. It is impossible to determine the precide shade.

Light Shades

There were also light shades. White is often deiscernable, but we cannot determine what the color was from the photiograph. Other sources suggest that these light shades were various light browns such as tan and beige. Other American sources such as catalogs, illustrations, limited color photography, and vintage clothing suggest that the light-brown shades were the most common. A good indicator here is all the different names for light brown (beige, brown, camel, flesh, French nude, heather, nugrain, tan, and others). Tan was often offered in French, dark, medium, and light shades. This is a good indicator of popularity. There were not a lot of names for grey if they were even offered. We do note a reference to 'gray heather'. As heather was a broen shade, we are unsure just how to categorize this one. Several pertinent catalog pages are available on HBC: Sears 1930, Wards 1935 and Sears 1940. A Russian reader informs us that the same was the case in Russia during the Soviet era. As long stockings persisted in Russia longer than in the West, we do have some color images. A postcard shows a Russian boy in 1964 wearing tan or light brown stockings. We also see a typical Moscow pre-schooler with bib shorts and tan or light brown. We know, however, that grey stockings were worn from illustrations. We are less sure about Germany. Our initial impression is that the light shades were mostly neutral, light-brown shades. We know, however, there were also grey shades. One reader tells us that the grey stockings were mostly darker shades, but we can not yet conform that. We note Russian children wearing long stockings done in light grey shades. Our reader writes, "I think it is usually possible to tell the difference between neutral or light tan colored stockings from the gray ones because the gray shades tended to be darker (like the chocolate brown) that you mention. I've noticed this difference, for instance, in Switzerland.

Created: 1:50 AM 9/29/2010
Last updated: 1:50 AM 9/29/2010