Figure 1.--Long stockings came to be seen as dressy wear, but during the late-19th century and early-20th century long stockings were the standard hosiery for both boys and girls. We see that very clearly in the large number of family snapshots that began to appear at the turn-of-the 20th century. Here we see children in the country having a good time with their pooch during the summer. I am not sure what they are doing, but I think they are chewing in sugar cane which would place them in the South. Notice the children are all wearing long stockings. This snapshot is undated, but looks like the 1900s.

The conventions for long stockings in America have varied over time. Long stockings were intially worn for both warm and modesty as it was not considered proper for boys or girls, except for the vary youngest, to go bare legged. And even many toddlers wore long stockings. We see them being worn for all occassions. Most of the late-19th century photography was studio phorography with children dressed up for the portraits. But children did not just wear long stockings when dressing up. We see children wearing long stockings to school as well as casual circumstances, even playing around the home. Thus long stockings were not specifically dresswear, schoolwear, playwear, or even seasonal wear. Long stockings were simply the standard type of hosiery worn by children. This was not nearly as true in Europe. After the turn of the 20th century this began to change. We see some of the boys wearing tunic suits with socks rather than stockings (1900s) and we begin to see younger boys wearing knee pants with socks (1910s). Long stockings continued to be more common were more common, especially for school age children in the early-20th century. With the apparance of short pants after World War I, it became increasingly accptable for boys to appear first with bare knees and kneesocks and eventually bare legs with three-quater and and ankle socks. Long stockings begame mostly winter and cool weather garments to help a child stay warm or for firmality. Long stockings were occsionally worn even into the 1930s. Apparentlty some mothers thought long stockings more appropriate for formal wear. We see long stockings being worn for First Communion. A ood example is two unidentifed siblings about 1920. Thus Rose Kenny dressed Teddy in long stockings with his short pants suit when they went to Vatican City to see the Pope.

Warmth

The most obvious reason for wearing king stockings was seasonal wear for warmth. Long stockings were intially worn for both warm and modesty. Long stockings were commonly worn in the late-19th century as knee oants vecame incvreasingky cimmon. Long stockings begame mostly winter and cool weather garments to help a child stay warm or for firmality. Long stockings were occsionally worn even into the 1930s for cold weather.

Modesty

It was not considered proper for boys or girls, except for the vary youngest, to go bare legged. And even many toddlers wore long stockings. As a result of the modesty factor, we note children wearing long stockings. Even younger children wire long stockings in the 19th century. It just was nt see proper for any one o show any bare leg, even children. Women wire long dresses. Girls could wear shorter dresses, but only iof their legs were covered with long stockings. The only real exception was children that went barefoot. Long stvkings were not only worn for formality and warmth, but in circumstances that not only hardly called for long stockings and they even seem inappropriate to lour modern eyes. Thus we not only see long stockings being worn for casual wear, but even when children went to the beach during the summer. Seaside vacations began to increase in popularity in the late-1890s. And at the time , long stockings were still standard ear not only for children, but for teenagers as well. We see both boys and girls commonly waring long stockings at seaside resorts, but actually on the beach. This changed slowly, first for boys and than for girls. We still see long stovkings om the beacvh begfore Workd war I, but not much after the War in the 1920s.

Formality

We see them being worn for all occassions. Most of the late-19th century photography was studio phorography with children dressed up for the portraits. Apparentlty some mothers thought long stockings more appropriate for formal wear. And we note this into the 1930s. We see long stockings being worn for First Communion. A ood example is two unidentifed siblings about 1920. Thus Rose Kenny dressed Teddy in long stockings with his short pants suit when they went to Vatican City to see the Pope.

School

But children did not just wear long stockings when dressing up. We see children commonly wearing long stockings to school. They were very common in the late-19th century. Long stockings continued to be more common were more common, especially for school age children in the early-20th century. With the apparance of short pants after World War I, it became increasingly accptable for boys to appear first with bare knees and kneesocks and eventually bare legs with three-quater and and ankle socks.

Casualwear

We also see American children commonly wearing long stockings in casual circumstances, even playing around the home. The image here is a good example (figure 1). Long stockings were not specifically dresswear, schoolwear, playwear, or even seasonal wear. Long stockings were simply the standard type of hosiery worn by children. This was not nearly as true in Europe. After the turn of the 20th century this began to change, but only slowly.

Sports

Sports are not generally seen as activities for which long stockings were worn. Sports bwgan to develop while long stockings were commonly worn. In fact there was a confluence of three developments at about the same time in America. First, after the mid-19th century, long stockings bgcame standaerd for both boys and girls. Lomg stockings were also worn in Europe, but in America were virtully universal. Girls wore them woth dresses. Boys wore them with shortened-length pants. Only younger boys wore shortened-length pants at first, but gradully we see oldr and older boys wearing shortened-length pants and long stockings. Second, America continued building its public school syste, along wih Germany the first in the world. And this included more and more secondaty schools that had gym, programs. Both voys and girls might wear long stockings for gym. Third, along with gym, sports became increasingly common. And we see long stockings with sports as well. This was most common with the girls, but we see some boys wearing long stockings with sports. Sports in general and specifically school sports steadily increased in popularity especially by the late-19th and early-20th century. And all of this was not limitd to sports. We see long stockings being worn for beachwear and swiming, especially for girls and women. Only after World War I in the 1920s did long stockings disappear for beachwear.

Age

Once shortened-length pants became ciommonn, most American boys wore long stockings in the second half of the 19th century. Girls also commonly wore them. The only major exception is the children going barefoot. This only began to change at mid-century. We see some of the boys wearing tunic suits with socks rather than stockings (1900s) and we begin to see younger boys wearing knee pants with three-quarter socks (1910s).

Seasonality

Created: 9:29 PM 3/21/2011
Last updated: 7:45 PM 4/7/2017