Figure 1.--This advertisement for long stockings and anklets shows that children (even in the winter months) had begun to wear anklets with short pants and skirts instead of long stockings. But the long stockings still dominated the market in 1936 and are offered in a variety of weights and colors. |
The hosiery seen here was offered in the Sears Fall and Winter Catalog, p. 177. This advertisement for long stockings and anklets shows that children (even in the winter months) had begun to wear anklets with short pants and skirts instead of long stockings. But the long stockings still dominated the market in 1936 and are offered in a variety of weights and colors. Presumably white stockings would be worn only by girls and very young boys. But the tan , brown, and black stockings were worn by both genders. Sears offered both anklets and lon stockings here, but not kneesocks. we know that kneesocks were worn in 1936-37 so we are not sure why Sears would offer anklets and long stockings here, but not kneesocks. Kneesocks were offered on another page.
The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948).
Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. The catalog by the 1890s included just about any imaginable item. You could even purchase a complete house--all you had to do was assembkle it. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) bought Roebuck's interest the in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane the first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck catalog brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All
the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.
The hosiery seen here was offered in the Sears Fall and Winter Catalog, p. 177.
This advertisement for long stockings and anklets shows that children (even in the winter months) had begun to wear anklets with short pants and skirts instead of long stockings. But the long stockings still dominated the market in 1936 and are offered in a variety of weights and colors. Presumably white stockings would be worn only by girls and very young boys. But the tan , brown, and black stockings were worn by both genders. Interestingly, the ad emphasizes the additional length of the long stockings to come up "well under the short skirts and suits" then being worn so that the necessary hose supporters wouldn't show. These full length stockings were worn not only with short pants, however, but also by boys wearing knickers. Short pants do, however, appear in contemporary advertisements for long stockings Note that the boy in the illustration wears knickers rather than short trousers. But it was probably more common for boys wearing knickers to wear patterned knee socks with cuffs rather than plain colored long stockings in tan, brown or black. Perhaps the boys who wore the long stockings with knickers did so for the
warmth since the tops would obviously not show.
Sears offered both anklets and lon stockings here, but not kneesocks. we know that kneesocks were worn in 1936-37 so we are not sure why Sears would offer anklets and long stockings here, but not kneesocks. Almost surely kneesocks were offered on another page.
There were three different types of long stockings.
The ad copy read, "'Everydays' Most for the Money. 11 c a Pair. The fine guage ... good
quality cotton ... and full sizes make these stockings outstanding values
for the money. We believe you can't find any other stockings at this
price to equal them for long, dependable, day-after-day wear! Finely
ribbed legs. Comfortable flat knit seamless feet. Such wonderful bargains
you'll want to buy them by the half-dozen pairs!
86 D 2590--Black
86 D 2591--French tan
86 D 1592--Camel tan
Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. See Size scale below.
State size. Shipping weight, pair, 3 ounces. 3 Pairs, 7 ounces.
Pair 11. c; 3 Pairs 32 c."
Sears offered two styles of long stockings in the Pilgrim brand. The ad copy read, "Greatest Sellers! Greatest Bargains! Our Own Good Pilgrim Brand Children's Stockings: Extra Length. Extra Wear. Extra Savings. Great Values for a Great Jubilee Year 1886-1936.
[HBC Note: Sears had been selling children's full-length stockings for a
hundred years and was calling attention to their long history of making
this product.]
The ad copy read, "Rayon Plated 23 c. a Pair. Children must love the soft sheen and dressy appearance of these fine stockings. Because thousands and thousands of orders for them pour in from all over the country. They're good reliable Pilgrim quality. They all have good looks of dull rayon--but they're much warmer and much longer wearing because they're rayon with a thread of fine mercerized cotton knit inside! Finely ribbed legs--with 4-ply mercerized cotton heels and toes. Flat knit seamless feet. 86 D 2635 Champagne, French nude, French tan, White. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. See size scale at left. State size and color. Shipping weight, pair 3 ounces; 2 pairs 7 ounces. Pair 23 c. 3 Pairs 67 c."
The ad copy read, "Mercerized cotton. 22 c a Pair. Of course they're nice looking--they're soft, smooth textured mercerized cotton. And they're mighty long wearing
too with their fine, stronger yarns and 4-ply heels and toes. Finely ribbed legs. Comfortable flat knit seamless feet. 86 D 2655 French tan, Dark tan, Camel tan, White. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. State size and color. Shpg. wt. pair 4
oz.; 3 pairs 10 oz. Pair 22 c. ; 3 Pairs 62 c. Combed Cotton 14 c. a pair. There's no secret why they've been our best sellers for more than 25 years. Just notice all the quality features in these stockings! No wonder they're such bargains at our low price! And
there's big economy in the extra months of wear they give. Dependable Pilgrim quality. Girls and boys like the soft feel of the combed cotton. They stretch so easily and look so neat because they're finely ribbed ... and their extra length brings them well up under the short dresses and suits that are so popular these days.. Great for both the chubby legged
and the long legged. Seamless flat knit feet. Reinforced heels and toes.
You simply can't get more for the money. 86 D 2614 Black 86 D 2615 French tan
86 D 2616 White 86 D 2617 Camel tan 86 D 2619 Dark brown Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. State size. Shpg. wt. pair 3 oz.; 3 pairs 6 oz. Pair 14 c.; 3 Pairs 40 c."
There were two different types of ankle socks which Sears calls anklets. The ad copyread, "All Children like Anklets."
The ad copy read, "Rayon Plated. 3 Pairs 29 c. Fine, smartly styled, solid color anklets--at a price that means a welcome saving! Rayon plated over fine, long wearing cotton. Ribbed cuffs. Cotton reinforced heels, toes. Seamless feet. 86 D 2595 White, Navy blue, Tan, Red, Pink, Blue." Note that these anklets were mean to be worn cuffed."
The ad copy read, "'Blazer' Stripes. 3 Pairs 25 c. It's the bright contrasting stripes from top to toe that make them so popular. And they're lower priced at Sears!
Soft combed cotton. Ribbed cuffs. Reinforced heels, toes. Seamless feet.
86 D 4554 Brown, Medium blue, Red, Green, Navy blue. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7. 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. State size and color. Shipping weight, 3 pairs, 4 oz."
For Small Children: Size of shoe 6-7; Size of Hose 6; Size of shoe 7 1/2-9; Size of hose 6 1/2; Size of shoe 9 1/2-10; Size of hose 7; Size of shoe 10 1/2-11 1/2; Size of Hose 7 1/2; Size of shoe 12-13; size of hose 8. For Larger Children: Size of shoe 1-2 1/2; Size of Hose 8 1/2; Size of shoe 3-4 1/2; Size of Hose 9; Size of shoe 5-6; Size of Hose 9 1/2; Size
of shoe shoe 6 1/2-7; Size of hose 10. [HBC note: Many readers have wondered about how boys' stockings were sized in relation to age. Some have speculated that the sizes indicate
ages, but here we see that the sizing is according to the size of shoe worn and not strictly age, although there is an obvious correlation between shoe size and age. This is why a size 10 long stocking could be worn by a boy as old as 12 or 13.]
Sears in its Fall-Winter 1936-37 catalog offered three different types of kneesocks--all patterned styles. The Sears page for kneesocks was headed with, "Boys! Keen styles ... "Great Snappy Patterns ... Knit in Garters". Knee-length, patterned stockings were designed to be worn with knickers that most boys graduated into at about 8 or 9 years of age in the mid-1930s. The larger sizes would be for boys 13-14 years old.
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