Figure 1.-- Long stockings were still worn in Canada during 1941 by both boys and girls. aton's offered long stockings and not only in the fall and winter catalog. Here is a hosiery ad from the Eaton's Spring and Summer catalog, p. 60. .
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Figure 1.-- Long stockings were still worn in Canada during 1941 by both boys and girls. aton's offered long stockings and not only in the fall and winter catalog. Here is a hosiery ad from the Eaton's Spring and Summer catalog, p. 60. . |
Eaton's offered long stockings and not only in the fall and winter catalog. We note an ad for long stockings in the Eaton's Spring-Summer 1940 catalog. It seems remarkable to me that Eaton's was advertising long stockings for both boys and girls for the Spring and Summer season of 1941 and in a mixture of cotton and wool. These stockings are "comfy" and "warm," reflecting, I suppose, the fact that spring in the northern regions of Canada such as Quebec, the Maritimes, and the Alberta mountains can be quite chilly. I suspect that climate was not the only consideration for the appeal of long stockings. Note that Eaton's stresses that the stockings are for both boys and girls.
This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we
begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early
development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
HBC has noted several images of Canadian boys wearing long stockings. This appears to have been quite similar to American patterns in the late 19th century. HBC has noted that some Canadian boys continued wearing long stockings in the 20th century when many American boys began wearing short socks and kneesocks. In particular Canadian boys appear to have worn longstockings for dress occasions. This appears to have been more prevalent among French Canadians than English Canadians.
Knickers rapidly disappeared in America during the early 1940s. This process was also ar work in Canada, but does not seem to have transpired as rapidly. The fact that knickers were worn longer in Canada is one reason that long stockings persisted longer there.
Here is a hosiery ad from the Eaton's Spring and Summer catalog, p. 60.
It seems remarkable to me that Eaton's was advertising long stockings for both boys and girls for the Spring and Summer season of 1941 and in a mixture of cotton and wool. These stockings are "comfy" and "warm," reflecting, I suppose, the fact
that spring in the northern regions of Canada such as Quebec, the
Maritimes, and the Alberta mountains can be quite chilly."
I suspect that climate was not the only consideration for the appeal of
long stockings. Many mothers in conservative areas wanted their sons
to wear short trousers (the Canadians continued to refer to them as
"knee pants" long after this term had disappeared in the United States)
throughout the year. We notice, for instance, that "knee pants" (i.e.
shorts) continued to be advertised in Canada for boys up through the
age of 12 even in the winter catalogs, which was not the case in the
U.S. Long stockings were considered to be dressier than ankle or knee
socks and thus especially appropriate for church, school, and other
somewhat formal situations. Older boys sometimes wore knickers or the
more form-fitting breeches during this period and may, perhaps, have
worn them with long stockings although the catalogs advertised knee
socks as appropriate for below-the-knee trousers.
The colors advertised
here are also revealing--"Mid-Fawn" and "Dark-Fawn" which can be
translated as "light brown" and "dark brown." The boy and girl in the
photo would seem to be wearing the darker brown stockings. The Sears
and Ward's catalogs for the same year were emphasizing beige and tan
stockings rather than the darker colors. So color, too, seems to
differentiate Canadian long stockings from American long stockings in
1941.
Here is the text of the Eaton's ad. Note that Eaton's stresses that the stockings are for both boys and girls. "Ribbed Cotton and Wool Hose. Sizes 4 to 5 1/2, 25 cents per pair.
Sizes 6 to 10, 35 cents per pair. [Size 10 stockings, correlated with
shoe size, would fit children about 15 or 16 years of age. The boy and
girl in the photograph look as if they were about 11 years old and seem
to be dressed for school.]
Sturdy enough for boys! Fine-ribbed enough for girls! Soft and comfy
enough for infants [i.e. children up to about age 5]--and in sizes to
fit them all! What a grand general-purpose stocking. Definitely a
stocking you can depend on, too--to be warm, to wear well, to stand up
under repeated washing. Made in Canada of rugged 1-ply Cotton-and-Wool
yarns with an extra 1-ply Cotton yarn in heel and toe for added
reinforcement where the hardest wear comes. Ribbed in fine 1/1 knit to
fit trimly, with comfortable seamless foot in plain knit. Remember
that in a Cotton-and-Wool hose, you have both the warmth of Wool plus
the practical tendency of Cotton to minimize shrinkage.
Colors: Mid-Fawn; Dark-Fawn. Be sure to state size.
420-228. Sizes 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2. Per pair, 25 c. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7,
7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. Per pair, 35 c."
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