Figure 1.--This English brother and sister wear knee socks and long stockings. Notice the colored pattern on the cuff of his turn-over top socks. The portrait is undated, but we think was taken in the 1930s, probably the early-30s. Long stockings in England were rare for boys by the 1930s, but still worn by some girls, we think mostly teenagers. Some private schools required them. We think modesty was the primary reason, but formlity was another factor.

British children extensively wore long stockings in the 9th century. Some younger childrenwore socks, but most school-age boys and girls wore long stockings. This basic trend ciontunued, but we begin to see more three-quarter sovks in the summer, especially with younger children. Knee socks were not yet common. Actually it is a little difficult to tell because boys tended to wear knee pants or long short pants and often had their long turn-over top socks pulled up. We do see boys wearing three-quarter socks. Baden Powell when he created the uniform for the new Scout movement helped popularize short pants and knee socks for boys. This trend continued in the 1910s. Girls tended to wear long stockings more than boys. And some conservative girls' schools required them--almot always dark colors. Knee socks after the turn-of-the 20th century were very common and worn during the summer as well as cool weather. Knee socks were standard boys wear during the inter-War era and early post-World War II era. We see children beginning to wear short socks after World War I in the 1920s. Many children did not even wear socks during the summer with sandals. Color was a factor. Girls commonly wore white socks, but white was not common with school age boys, except for cricket. Grey became the standard color for socks, both ankle socks and knee socks. English boys did not wear the loud knee socks American boys wore with knickers during the 1930s. Knee socks continued to be standard during the 1940s and 50s with short or ankle socks increasingly popular during the summer. After World War II we see less expensive knee socks becoming popular rather than the turn-over-top socks. Knee socks were less expensive because they were shorter, not long enough to form the top cuff. School socks were often done with destintive top colors or bands. By the 1960s short pants and knee socks began to become less popular especially during the winter months. Even the Scouts dropped short pants, but the Cubs continued to wear short pants and knee socks. English boys in the late 20th century continued to wear short pants, but mostly as casual summer wear without knee socks. The exception was school uniforms. Some schools continued to require school uniforms and this often included knee socks. Ankle socks gradually become more common. Toward the end of the 20th-century we begin to see sport socks.

The 1900s

British children extensively wore long stockings in the 19th century. Some younger children wore socks, mostly three-quarter socks, but most school-age boys and girls wore long stockings. This basic styles and conventions from the 19th century continued, but we begin to see more three-quarter socks in the summer, especially with younger children. Long stockings were never as common as in America and Germany, but they were widely worn. Even the youngest American chikdren, at least in studio portraits, wore long stovkings. This was not the case in America. Knee socks were not yet common. Actually it is a little difficult to tell because boys tended to wear knee pants or long short pants and often had their long turn-over top socks pulled up. We do see boys wearing three-quarter socks. Baden Powell when he created the uniform for the new Boy Scout movement helped popularize both short pants and knee socks for boys. Socks were much more practical for active outdoors activities than long stockings which required some kind of bothersome support to keep up. The photographic record provides considerable detail about the clothing, but little detail about the convetions. We can only infer these from the images.

The 1910s

The 1900s trends continued into the 1910s, at least the early 10s. The shift toward informality we began to see after the turn-of-the century became more pronounced in the 1910s. The Boy Scout movement became a national phenmomenon. And by the 1910s we see more boys wearing knee socks although long stockings were fairly common. As short pants were rather long and knee pants still worn, we often cn not tell if the boys are wearing long stockings or pulled up knee socks. In fact we suspect that knee socks were not only popularized by the Scouting movement, but by children, especially boys rolling down their long stockings. And as this became more common, much prefered the less cimbersime knee socks to the long stockings. This was especially true in the warmer summer months. Girls tended to wear long stockings more than boys. And some conservative girls' schools required them--almost always dark colors. England and Europe in general was irebvicably changed by the tragedy of World War I which erupted (August 1914). The impact of the War was profound and it included clothing and fashion. And the trend was to intensify the shift toward informality. In terms of hosiery this mean a movement away friom long stockings tioward socks. And in the 1910s this meant primarily three-quarter socks and knee socks.

The 1920s

Knee socks were standard boys wear during the inter-War era and early post-World War II era. We see children beginning to wear short socks after World War I in the 1920s. Many children did not even wear socks during the summer with sandals. Color was a factor. Girls commonly wore white socks, but white was not common with school age boys, except for cricket. Grey became the standard color for socks, both ankle socks and knee socks. We bgin to see turn-over-top knee sovks with patterns in the 1920s, we think beginning about mid-decade.

The 1930s

English boys did not wear the loud, patternbed knee socks American boys wore with knickers to any extent during the 1930s. Here we see an example of 1930s hosiery. This English brother and sister wear knee socks and long stockings (figure 1). Notice the colored pattern on the cuff of his turn-over top socks. The portrait is undated, but we think was taken in the 1930s, probably the early-30s. The patterned cuff tops were very common in the 1930s. There were many different patterns. The one here is plain, but most were a paatern. Long stockings in England were rare for boys by the 1930s, but still worn by some girls, we think mostly teenagers. Some private schools required them. We think modesty was the primary reason, but formlity was another factor.

The 1940s

Knee socks continued to be standard during the 1940s and 50s with short or ankle socks increasingly popular during the summer.

The 1950s

After World War II we see less expensive knee socks becoming popular rather than the turn-over-top socks. Knee socks were less expensive because they were shorter, not long enough to form the top cuff. School socks were often done with destintive top colors or bands.

The 1960s

By the 1960s short pants and knee socks began to become less popular especially during the winter months. Even the Scouts dropped short pants, but the Cubs continued to wear short pants and knee socks.

The 1970s

English boys in the late 20th century continued to wear short pants, but mostly as casual summer wear without knee socks. The exception was school uniforms. Some schools continued to require school uniforms and this often included knee socks.

The 1980s

Ankle socks gradually become more common.

The 1990s

Toward the end of the 20th-century we begin to see sport socks.

Created: 9:50 AM 7/27/2014
Last updated: 9:50 AM 7/27/2014