United States Long White Stockings: Chronology--The 20th Century


Figure 1.--This American boy looks to be wearing a velvet vest and shorts outfit with white long stockings. Also note the bow he is wearing. As the boy is holding a violine, we assume it is a recital outfit. He looks to be about 7 years old. The photograph is not identified, but we beliee it was taken some where in the northeast during the 1930s. A reader writes, "I think the boy is wearing white socks. It gives the feeling he is wearing long stockings but it is due mainly to an overexposition. Just look at his right hand or his face and you will see that they are as white as his legs. It is clear that he has socks." On looking at the photograph again, I think our reader is correct. This is rather unusual. You do not see many boys wearing white ankle socks at the time.

The popularity of white stockings changed around the turn of the 20th century. I am not sure just why. White stockings for boys were considered very dressy in the first two decades of the 20th century and, except for special events such as first communions, weddings, etc., were mostly considered appropriate for younger children. Black stockings were much more common. We still see white long stockings after World War I in the early 1920s. Most of the instances se have noted were formal occassions such as weddings and First Communions.

The 1900s

We noted white stockings very commonly in the 1860s. Then rather suddenly they disappeard. Through most of thw the late 19th century we see American boys wearing dark long stockings. Colors varied, but rarely do we see white long stockings and this included the 1890s. We are not yetentirely sure about the late 1890s, but during most of the decade we see children wearing black long stockings. This changed sharoly at the turn-of-the 20th century. Black long stockings were still very common, but we begin to see large numbers of children wearing white long stckings for the first time since the 1860s. White long stickings were especially popular for girls. We do, however, see some boys wearing whitecstickings as well. They were mostly younger boys, often pre-school boys. We also see some younger school-age boys wearings white long stockings, mostly for formal occassions when dressing up. Girls wore them more commonly, often to school. Boys did not commonly wear them to school. Whire was seen as suitable for very formal occassions. Black long stockings were worn for formal occassins as well. We note boys wearing white long stockings with Fauntleroy suits, tunics, and sailor suits--especially white tunics sailor suits .

The 1910s

The basic conventions established in the 1900s continued in the 1910s. White long stockings were very widely worn by girl. They were less common for boys, but we see younger boys wearing them. Again they were still pre-school boys or younger school-age boys dressing up for formal occassions. We note an America boy photographed about 1910. He is kneeling wearing a tunic suit. The supporters holding up his stockings show. A slightly later photograph (about 1915) shows an American boy of about 10 or 11 years of age with much longer white long stockings. He is wearing a modified Fauntleroy suit. (See figure 2). We see white stockings being worn quite normally during the 1910s as a part of American First Communion ceremonies. Saint Anthony's Church in St. Louis during 1917 has boys wearing such stockings. We see Winhrop Rockefeller wearing white long stockings about 1918-19. We note James Urnsby wearing white stockings with a play army uniform, probably some time in the 1910s. We note boys wearing white long stockings with Oliver Twist suits, tunics, and sailor suits--especially white sailor suits.

The 1920s

We see a numbr of boys wearing white long stockings for formal wear, nostly in the early 1920s. Many of the images were Catholic boys during their First Communion. We have noted both individuals and groups. A Brooklyn boy wears long white stockings for First Communion in the 1920s. We also see boys in fancy formal outfits for eddings wearing white long stockings. The note the Long boys wearing different outfits, but all with white long stockings. They look to also be wearing long underwear.

The 1930s

White stockings declined in popularity, at least for boys during the 1920s. They were nuch less common by the 1930s. Younger boys still wore long stoikings in the 1930s. Some boys wore longvstockings for formality, but this often involved black long sockings. Boys did not commonly wear long white stockings during the 1930s. we do, however, see boys wearing them for formal affairs, mostly during the early part of the decade. This is not a color boys would have worn for everday wear. White was note common for girls to wear. And an unidentified Catholic School in the 1930s had the boys wear shortpants worn with white stockings for their First Communion. We note one boy wearing white long stockings as part of whatlooks like a reciatal outfit (figure 1). The photographic record suggests that white long stockings were not very commom. We have found very few images of American boys wearing white long stockings during the 193os except for formal occassions.

The 1940s

We no longer see American boys wearing white long stockings by the 1940s. Long stockings in geral rapidly went about of style in the 1940s.







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Related HBC Hosiery Pages:
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Created: 6:28 AM 5/4/2007
Last updated: 4:02 AM 10/16/2010