Figure 1.-- Here we see two American children, probably brother and sister, probably taken during the 1910s. The boy wears a dark knee pants suits with a large plain white collar and a large floppy bow. Notice the white long stockings and the hightop shoes. The girl wears a white dress with a large bow at the waist and black stockings. White stockings for boys were considered very dressy in the first decade of the 20th century and, except for special events such as first communions, weddings, etc., were often considered appropriate only for younger children. Black stockings were much more common. Notice the bangs worn by both children. The boy seems to be about 6 years old, the girl about 4 years.

Yonger boys might wear white long stockings with dresses. We see a number of examples of this during the mid-19th century. We note a lot of boys wearing white stockings in the 1860s as knee pants were first appearing. We are not sure if these were really long stockings, however, as early kneepants were quite long. We do not see boys wearing white stockings very commonly in the mid-19th century. We are not sure about the 1850s, but we see numerous examples in the 1860s. Boys wore them both with knee pants and bloomer knickers. We are not sure, however, just how long they were. White stockings were much less common in the late-19th century. We see very few portaits in the photographic record. This 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 18th Century

Menand women as well as children wore stockings in the 18th century. The available paintings show that neither children or adults went bared legged. Everyone seems to be wearing stockings. This is misleading in that available paintings are of the well-to-do. Many children at the time would have gone bare footed, especially in rural areas and this is where most Americans lived. What the images do not show is how long the stocings were. Boys and men wore knee breeches. The stockings obviously covered calves. We think that the generally did not cobr the knee, but hi is difficult to tell as a result of the long dresses younger boys, girls, and women wore and knee breeches men and boys wore. Another misleading impression from the period paintings is that the stockings everyone wore wee white. This was not the case. Again it was the well to do that wore whit stokings, a symbol of affluence. Most people wore stockings made from homespun in natural colors which meant various shades of light brown.

The 19th Century

Our information on white long stockings is limited for the early-19th century. Photography was not yet invented. Paintings show children commonly wearng white stockings, but as skirts and pants were long, we can not see just how long the stockings were. Yonger boys in the 19th century might wore white long stockings with dresses. We see a number of examples of this during the mid-19th century, especially the 1860s with the advent of te CDV. We note a lot of boys wearing white stockings in the mid-19th century. We are not sure about how common they were in the 1850s. Long panys were very common in the early-19th century through the 50s. We do see some children wearing them, but actual imges are limited. The posing conventions for Dags and Ambros often show primrily the head and torso. In ddition shortened-length pants were not yet common, but we see a few examples. A good example is two unidentified siblings we believe in the 1850s. It is hard to tell from the photographic record how common white stockings were until the 1860s ad the CDV. . Most boys wore long pants and thus hosiery is not very apparent in available portraits. We see white stockings very commonly in the 1860s. This is when knee pants first appeared in large numbers. We begin to see many younger boys wearing kbee pants in the 1860s snd white long stocking were very common. We see white long stockings in the early-1870s. A good example is the Van Husen boys. We also notice bloomer knickers. A good example is Tom K. Christie in 1867. We are not sure how long the stockings were at mid-century. So we do not know if they were really long stockings, however, as early knee pants were quite long. Colored stockings, especially striped stockings, became more common in the 70s. We do not see boys wearing white stockings very commonly in the late-19th century. We see very few portaits in the photographic record. Boys commonly wore dark long stockings and in the 189s black was the predominant color.

The 20th Century

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 we have noted were formal occassions such as weddings and First Communions. This becomes much less common by the 1930s and we no longer see boys wearing white long stockings by the 1940s.

Created: September 17, 1998
Last updated: 8:07 PM 9/26/2012