Long White Stockings: Chronology


Figure 1.--This little American boy was photographed on his trike wearing a white sailor suit and long white stockings. We believe it was taken in the late 1920s. Long stockings were declining in popularity at the time, especially white long stockings. Click on the image for a fuller discussion. Image courtesy of the CF collection.

White stockings once so commonly worn by men in the 18th century, emerged at the end of the 19th century as a dressy style for young boysand girls. Boys wore them for only a few years, but they they continued to ba popular style for girls, although they now wear tights instead of long over the knee stockings. Older boys and men wore long white stockings with knee breeches during the 18th century with knee breeches. Women did not need to wear them as they wore long dresses covering their legs. Boys and girls did not commonly wear long white stockings in the early 19th century, in part because long trousers were commonly worn by men and boys. In addition, dresses were long and long stockings of any color were not needed. Also boys and girls wore pantalettes making long stocking unnecessary. Even after breehing boys did not wear long stockings as the popular skeleton suits of the day entailed long ankel length pants, often bworn with ankle socks and strap shoes. As dresses becan to become shorter in the 1830s they were mostly worn by little boys and girls with lacey pantalettes which came to the ankle--making long stockings unecessary. Only in the 1850s did long white stockings come into style for small children. Dress styles by the 1850s were much shorter than earlier in the decade. Pantalettes had also been shortened and now were worn well above the knee. As it was not considered proper for ecven young children to appear in bare legs, they were now outfitted in long white stockings. Long stockings came back into style in the late 19th century as boys commonly wore knee pants. Boys in the late 19th century wore long stockings that went above the knee with knee length pants. The stockings were mostly black in the late 19th century or some dark color. They mostly wore dark stockings, even with dressy Faintleroy suits. Long stockings came back into style in the late 19th century as boys commonly wore knee pants. They mostly wore dark stockings, even with dressy Fauntleroy suits. While long white stockings were only worn by boys for a brief period begining at about the turn of the century until the early 1920s. After that period, in American they became entirely a girl's style. Younger boys would wears tunics with pantakettes and long white stockings. Older boys would wear kneepants, nickers, or even long trousers.

The 18th century

We do not yet know much about hosiery in the 18th century. Older boys and men wore long white stockings with knee breeches during the 18th century with knee breeches. Women did not need to wear them as they wore long dresses covering their legs.

The 19th Century

Boys and girls did not commonly wear long white stockings in the early 19th century, or at least we do not think they dis. This is in part because long trousers were commonly worn by men and boys. The long pants, however, nake it difficult to assess stocking length. In addition, dresses were long and long stockings of any color were not needed. Also boys and girls wore pantalettes making long stocking unnecessary. Even after breehing boys did not wear long stockings as the popular skeleton suits of the day entailed long ankel length pants, often bworn with ankle socks and strap shoes. As dresses becan to become shorter in the 1830s they were mostly worn by little boys and girls with lacey pantalettes which came to the ankle--making long stockings unecessary. Boys and girls did not commonly wear long white stockings in the early 19th century, or at least we do not think they dis. This is in part because long trousers were commonly worn by men and boys. The long pants, however, nake it difficult to assess stocking length. In addition, dresses were long and long stockings of any color were not needed. Also boys and girls wore pantalettes making long stocking unnecessary. Even after breehing boys did not wear long stockings as the popular skeleton suits of the day entailed long ankel length pants, often bworn with ankle socks and strap shoes. As dresses becan to become shorter in the 1830s they were mostly worn by little boys and girls with lacey pantalettes which came to the ankle--making long stockings unecessary. Long stockings came back into style in the late 19th century as boys commonly wore knee pants. Boys in the late 19th century wore long stockings that went above the knee with knee length pants. The stockings were mostly black or other darl colors in the late 19th century or some dark color. They mostly wore dark stockings, even with dressy Faintleroy suits. This varied with countries. We note Brirtish boys wraring three-quarter length white socks rather than long stockings.

Early 20th century (1900-20)

Long stockings came back into style in the late 19th century as boys commonly wore knee pants. They mostly wore dark stockings, even with dressy Fauntleroy suits. White long stockings for boys became more common after the turn of the century. They were gnerally seen as a dressy style. Older boys ore dark long stockings for formal wear, but the white stockings were seen as suitable for younger boys attending formal occassions. Both boys and girls wore them with dressing up. We see boys in many European countries and America wearing them. A good example is Russian brothers about 1905. White long stocking night be worn with Fauntleroy suits. An example is an unidentified American boy. Even more popular were the tunic suits worn by youner boys. A good example is Lawrence Ivan Maicie. We also note them worn with sailor suits and sailor blouses. Sometimes they were worn with fancy sailor blouses. All white outfits were a popular dressy style. A good example is another American boy. We notice quite a few boys wearing white long stockings as part of First Communion outfits. A good example is a Missouri boy in 1917. The pantaletes worn with white long stockings were no longer commonly seen with the exception of the very early 1900s. This was epecially the case in the 1900s, but somewhat less so in the 1910s. We do see a younger brother wearing white long stockings in 1919. White long stockings wer more common with girls. A good example is the Oelschlagen children about 1915. White long stockings were commonly worn with strap shoes or sandals.

Inter-war and War Era (1920-45)

After World War I (1914-18), boys still wore white long stockings when dressing up, but must less commonly than before the War. The War was a major diving line in fashion and this is one of many such examples. After the War, kneesocks began to replace long stockings in general, although long stockings were commonly worn in the 1920s and even later. Beige long stockings began to appear for younger boys, older boys generallywore dark long stocking. White long stockingsin particular began to be seen as a girl's style. Almost always boys weaing white long stockings would wear some sort of shortned pants, including bloomer knickers (worn with tunics), kneepants, knickers, and short pants. They were most commonly worn by younger boys. Another example is a younger brother in 1925. The boy seen here wears white long stockings with a short pants sailor suits, probaly in the lat 1920s. Many boys this age at the time were still wearing long stockings, but white long stockings were much less common (figure 1). We see boys wearing white long stockings less commonly after World War I, but we do see some boys still wearing them. They were worn for formal occassions such as weddings or First Communion. A good example is a Brooklyn boy. White long stockings were much more common for gorls.





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Created: October 3, 2003
Last updated: 4:32 AM 2/22/2007