Figure 1.--Here we see a toddler about 3 years old. He is wearing a summer button-on play suit along with beige long stockings with the supporter clasps showing. The stockings are so light they might be taken for white, but if you compare the white trim on his suit with the stockings, you can tell that they are light tan, which was quite normal for boys. The photograph is undated, but looks like the 1920s, probably the later-1920s. After World War I and especially the 1930s we see fewer older boys wearing long stockings.

We notice American boys of all ages wearing long stockings. We note boys from toddlers to teenagers wearing them. This varied very significantly over time. A key factor here was the age of boys wearing shirtened-length pants. Generally speaking younger boys wore long stockings when they first appeared. This was essentially because it was younger boys who mostly wore knee pants or bloomer knickers. Most boys wore long pants in the 1860s and 70s. This included most boys over 8-10 years of age. Long pants were also more common in rural areas where fashion was not as important. Teenagers began wearing knee pants in tge early-90s. A good examole is unidentified Iowa boy, probably in the early-90s. We note even older tennagers wearing long stockings in the late-90s and 1900s. This was again because older boys at this time commonly wore kneepants. Knickers became more common in the 1910s, but they were still worn with long stockings. Older boys at this time began to more commonly wear long pants. We see still see boys in high school wearing knickers in the 1910s. By the 1930s when long stockings began to go out of style we again see mostly younger bpys wearing them. An example of a 5-year old wearing long stockings is Floyd Van Horne about 1915. At the time long stockings were very common for boys.

Age 1 Year

Age 2 Years

A key factor concerning the age of boys wearing long stockings was the age of boys wearing shortened-length pants. Generally speaking younger boys wore long stockings when they first appeared. This was essentially because it was younger boys who mostly wore knee pants or bloomer knickers. Of course the younger boys before breeching wore long stockings with dresses. liitle boy wearing a play suit abnd light-colored long stockings, probably in the 1920s.

Age 5 Years

By the 1930s when long stockings began to go out of style we again see mostly younger bpys wearing them. An example of a 5-year old wearing long stockings is Floyd Van Horne about 1915. At the time long stockings were very common for boys.

Age 6 Years

Most boys wore long pants in the 1860s and 70s. This included most boys over about 8-10 years of age. Long pants were also more common in rural areas where fashion was not as important.

Age 10 Years

Age 13 Years

Teenagers began wearing knee pants and long sticking in tge early-1890s. This varied from family to family. We note younger teen agers still commonly wearing long stockings in the 1910s. We note the A.F. School in 1910. Most of the boys are wearing knickers with long stockings. A few boys have long pants suits.

Age 14 Years

We note an unidentified Iowa boy who looks to be about 14 years old, probably in the early-1890s. We also notice Maine boy Charles Bullock who looks to be about 14-years old. The portrait was probably taken at the turn-of-the 20th cerntury.

Age 15 Years

We note a graduation portait of G. Ward Hogan and his sister in 1907. The boy was 14 years old, shortly to turn 15 years of age. We do not know if he got his first lon pants suit when he turned 15, or if it was later. We note as was stantard at the time that he wore back long stockings with his knee pants.

Age 16 Years

We note even older tennagers wearing long stockings in the late-90s and 1900s. This was again because older boys at this time commonly wore kneepants. Knickers became more common in the 1910s, but they were still worn with long stockings.

Age 17 Years

American boys at 17 mostly wore wore long pants in the 19th century. Shortened-length opants appeared at mid-century, but they were not at first worn by teenagers--especially older teenagers. Only in the 1890s do we we see older teenagers wearing knee pants and to a lesser extent knickers. Only some boys at 17 wore the shorter lerngth pants, but we notice quite a few examples in the photographic recorsd. This was primarily in the latter part of the decade, They were always worn with long stockings, almost exclusively black long stockings. Older boys wearing lnee pants was probably most coimmobn in the 1900s. We also notice oklfer boys wearing long stockings in the 1910s, but mostly with knickers. We see still see boys in high school wearing knickers in the 1910s. Again the only examples we have found are with black long stockings. Older boys after the 1920s mostly wore long pants. This we see very few boys at 17 weafring lonf stickings and we have found no examples by the 1930s.

Created: 3:14 PM 10/4/2010
Last updated: 10:15 PM 3/5/2022