Figure 1.--Colored long stockings seem common in the 1880s. We initially assumed that mothers would choose stockings colors to match the suit. And navy blue was a popular color for boys suits, both sailor suits and regular suits. Of course a colorized imgecis notan actual color photo, but the studio/colorizers did attemptvto match the colors. Apparently some mothers did not always match the colors. This colorized tintype, for example, shows an unidentified boy wearing blue stockings with brown suit, Thevportrait was apparently taken in Old Mystic, Connecticut, probanly in the 1880s.

We know that blue long stockings were worn. We think that they were mostly dark, muted shades. Vlue was a popular color for boy's suits and we believe that boys in the 1860s-80s commonly wore stockings that matched are were close to the color of the suit. We notice some images suggesting some children wore brightly colored stockings. One shoe advertisement shows a boy wearing bright blue stockings and his sister bright red stockings, we think in the 1880s. We think the cnvention of matching the suit or dress with the stocking weakened somewhat in the 1890s when black stockings became increasingly common and were worn with outfits of every color. We note an Golden Rule Store adverisement for several different types of boys stockings in 1922 offered black, brown, cordovan, and white, but not blue. This is curious that there were no blue stockings, especiially as blue was such a popular color for boys. We believe this was in part because black was close to the dark blue/ navy suits that boys commonly wore at the time. A reader wtites, "In all my reading of old catalogues and newspaper ads, I have never seen an advertisement for blue long stockings. For really formal occasions, at least for boys over ten, black stockings were almost always the rule, even into the early 1920s, if boys were wearing dark blue or dark gray suits. The tan stockings began to be common for short trousers and lighter colored suits and sportier outfits with sweaters. But for church or really dress-up occasions, most boys continued to wear black stockings with knickers--or at least very dark colors, gray or 'cordovan' (dark brown with a slight reddish cast). Black stockings were nearly always worn with dark blue knicker suits. Patterned knee socks with striped cuffs came in during the later 1920s and 1930s, I believe. Of course, I'm speaking here oof American boys' fashions. Lighter colors came earlier in Europe, I think. But even in Europe, I don't think I have ever come across blue long stockings for boys--at least not in the 20th century. Afactor here is thast boys commonly weore dark or navy blue suits and black went well with these suits."

Created: 1:43 AM 4/10/2012
Last updated: 1:43 AM 4/10/2012