Figure 1.-- This Daguerreotype portrait looks to have been taken in the 1850s. The unidentified boy wears a stock that has been elongated into a substantial bow. Notice it is striped and not black. We are not sure if fashion writers at the time would have called this a stock or a bow, but there are no bow tails..

The stock was one of the most enduring forms of men's neckwear. We first notice it in the early-18th century. One source dates it from 1715, but we do not understand the specifics of such a specific date. It of course was a European import. The first stocks were a simple piece of muslin cloth folded into a narrow band and wrapped a few times round the shirt collar. It was then secured from behind with a pin. We are not sure about the origins of the term "stock". I think it may have just meant that basic stock cloth was at first used. EArly stocks appear to have been white. The stock was not fancy neckwear. There was no bow to tie. It was simply wrapped around the collasr. The stock was worn for many years and was common in both America and Europe. We are not entirely sure when black stocks became standard. We think it was the early-19th century, but that needs to be confirmed. White stocks might still be worn for formal occassions. At the time men and boys wore the same clothes. Wearing stocks were more a social class matter. The well-to-do were more likely to dess well. So boys from affluent familes would wear stocks as well as men. The stock was still widely worn in the mid-19th century. It was by this time almost always black. Many examples are archived on HBC. Our information before the invention of phorography is limited, but with the appearance of Faguerreotyoes in the 1840s wehasve more information. A good example is Clarence E. Summer, we think in the 1840s. We note boys wearing stocks with destinctive bows, not just neck wrapping. In some cases they are primarily stocks with a hint of a bow, other examples have a much more noticeable bow. We are not sure if they were still called stocks or they were referred to as bows. We are not yet sure about the 1840s, but we definitely see these stocks with bows in the 1850s. The stock went out of style in the 1860s. We still see it in the early-60s, but not commonly by the end of the decade.

Chronology

The stock was one of the most enduring forms of men's neckwear. We first notice it in the early-18th century. One source dates it from 1715, but we do not understand the specifics of such a specific date. The stock was still widely worn in the mid-19th century. It was by this time almost always black. Many examples are archived on HBC. Our information before the invention of phorography is limited, but with the appearance of Daguerreotyoes in the 1840s wehasve more information. A good example is Clarence E. Summer, we think in the 1840s. We note boys wearing stocks with destinctive bows, not just neck wrapping.

Definition

We note a definition of, 'a bandlike collar or neckcloth".

Origins

The tock of course was a European import.

Construction

The first stocks were a simple piece of muslin cloth folded into a narrow band and wrapped a few times round the shirt collar. It was then secured from behind with a pin. We are not sure about the origins of the term "stock". I think it may have just meant that basic stock cloth was at first used. EaArly stocks appear to have been white. The stock was not fancy neckwear. There was no bow to tie. It was simply wrapped around the collar. In some cases they are primarily stocks with a hint of a bow, other examples have a much more noticeable bow. We are not sure if they were still called stocks or they were referred to as bows. We are not yet sure about the 1840s, but we definitely see these stocks with bows in the 1850s. The stock went out of style in the 1860s. We still see it in the early-60s, but not commonly by the end of the decade.

Color and Patterns

We note that the stock is usually depictd as black. This depiction is so pronounced that we assumed that all stocks were black. And black was a popular color for men and boys duing the Victorian era. We are not sure, however, just how common black actully was. It does appear to be the most common color. We are not entirely sure when black stocks became standard. We think it was the early-19th century, but that needs to be confirmed. Black was not, hoever, he only color for srock,White stocks might still be worn for formal occassions. We note quite a number of boys wearing stocks that were not black. Some were different colors. We have no idea at this time just what colors were used in stocks. And we also see stocks done in a variety of patterns. We do not know at this time if th colored or pattern stocks were more common for boys than men. And we are unsure if the colored and black stocks varied in popularity over time. This is difficult to asess because photography appeared only in the last two decades in which stocks were worn.

Age Conventios

At the time men and boys wore the same clothes.

Socil Class

Wearing stocks were more a social class matter. The well-to-do were more likely to dess well. So boys from affluent familes would wear stocks as well as men.

Created: 3:56 AM 3/29/2010
Last updated: 6:19 PM 5/9/2012