Figure 1.--Here we see two German boys at home. They look like they have been dressed up for some family event. Both boys wear white shirts, but wuthout ties. One boy wears lon pants. The other boy wears short pabts witj white knee sicks.

German boys wore different color knee socks. Unfortunarely when short pants and knee socks were most common, photography was mostly black and white. Thus the photographic record does not give us a lot of information about color. We can make out black and white knee socks. Unlike long stockings, black knee socks were not common. White knee socks were more common than black knee socks. We note white kneesocks in the 1920s and they had a dressy image. Grey kneesocks apear to have been more common. I believe German boys after World war I wore white knee socks sailor suits, but less commonly with regular short pants suit. Parerned kneesocks appear in the 1930s, but we note were not worn with Hitler Youth uniforms. We do know that white knee socks were worn as part of the regulation dress Hitler Youth uniform. The boys usually wore grey knee socks, but we see many examoles of them dressing up with white knee socks. White knee socks seem to be even more common after World War II. We no longer see sailor suits after the War, but we do see white knee socks being more commonly worn with dressy occassions like First Communion. Several boy choirs had uniforms with white knee socks. White knee socks had a dressy immage, but we do not just see them worn with suits. Some boys wore white knee socks to school. And we see boys wearing white knee socks for smart casual events as suits began to decline in popularity. White knee socks seem to be even more common after World War II. They continued to be seen as a kind of drss-up garment. We see quite a number of boys wearing white knee sivks with suits. They were very common for First Communion outfits. They were also widely worn by the boy choirs which became popukar after the War. We also see boys weating white knee socks to school. They were not the moust common color, but we do see them. White knee sicks began to disappear after German boys began to wear short pants less in the 1970s.

Knee Sock Color

German boys wore different color knee socks. Unfortunarely when short pants and knee socks were most common, photography was mostly black and white. Thus the photographic record does not give us a lot of information about color. We can make out black and white knee socks. Unlike long stockings, black knee socks were not common. White knee socks were more common than black knee socks.

Chronology

We note white kneesocks in the 1920s and they had a dressy image. Grey kneesocks apear to have been more common. I believe German boys after World war I wore white knee socks sailor suits, but less commonly with regular short pants suit. Parerned kneesocks appear in the 1930s, but we note were not worn with Hitler Youth uniforms. We do know that white knee socks were worn as part of the regulation dress Hitler Youth uniform. The boys usually wore grey knee socks, but we see many examoles of them dressing up with white knee socks. White knee socks seem to be even more common after World War II. We no longer see sailor suits after the War, but we do see white knee socks being more commonly worn with dressy occassions like First Communion. White knee socks seem to be even more common after World War II. They continued to be seen as a kind of drss-up garment. We see quite a number of boys wearing white knee socks with suits. White knee socks began to disappear after German boys began to wear short pants less in the 1970s.

Uniforms

We notice white knee socks were worn as part of the regulation dress Hitler Youth uniform. Several boy choirs had uniforms with white knee socks.

Conventions

White knee socks had a dressy immage, but we do not just see them worn with suits. Some boys wore white knee socks to school. And we see boys wearing white knee socks for smart casual events as suits began to decline in popularity. White knee socks continued to be seen as a kind of drss-up garment. We see quite a number of boys wearing white knee socks with suits.

Usage

They were very common for First Communion outfits. They were also widely worn by the boy choirs which became popukar aftervthe War. We also see boys weating white knee socks to school. They were not the most common color, but we do see them.

Footwear

We note boyswearing white knee socks with both sandals and shoes, bith strap shoes and oxfords, but not as commonly with high-top shoes. A good exanple is an unidentified boy, we think in the 1940s.