*** sandals hosiery








Sandals: Hosiery

boys sandals knee socks
Figure 1.--British boys commonly wore grey kneesocks with sandals, although ankle socks were also worn during the Summer. Some boys also wore sandals without socks during the Summer. While gret socks were most common, some younger boys might wear white socks.

We note a wide range of hosiery worn with sandals, both long stockings and different kinds of socks. And in some cases children wore no hosiery at all. This is a very complicated topic because there are so many different types of sandals worn with a range of conventions, both play and dressy outfits and today sports as well. The conventions concerning hosiery have also varied over time and among countries. Basically we mostly see boys wearing sandals with hosiery. This began to change somewhat in some countries after World war I when we see children wearing sandals for play. During the summer children might go without hosiery for play and also to school. We see this more in Europe than America.

Hosiery Types

We note a wide range of hosiery worn with sandals, both long stockings and different kinds of socks. And in some cases children wore no hosiery at all. Basically we mostly see boys wearing sandals with hosiery. We note French children wearing white kneesocks with sandals during the 1930s. This began to change somewhat in some countries after World war I when we see children wearing sandals for play. During the summer children might go without hosiery for play and also to school. We see this more in Europe than America.

Sandal Types

This is a very complicated topic because there are so many different types of sandals.

Cuffing

We see both kneesocks and shorter-length socks being cuffed when wearing sandals. For kneesocks the cuffing was commonly so a garter could be used. This was not the case for shorter length socks. Here it is not readily apparent why they were cuffed. We suspect that this was dione by the mother who liked the look of cuffed socks. I am not entirely sure why. A reader writes, "In looking through your information on sandals, you showed a picture of a boy with "cuffed socks". I have always wondered about turning down the top of socks. At my age, I turn down socks myself to minimize lines (circulation??) on my legs. But, I have seen children with turned down socks and wondered if this was a style fad, or just to keep the socks from falling down. I remember my mother turning down socks over the top of my sister's high top shoes, but I don't know why she did it." A complicating factor here is that we note in the 1930s and 40s that some boys rolled down their kneesocks and cuffed them to look more like ankle socks. This is a little different than the cuffing we are discussing here.

Conventions

Another factor is the conventions involved. Sandals were worn with a range of conventions, both play and dressy outfits and today sports as well. The conventions concerning hosiery have also varied over time and among countries.

Chronology


Countries


Colors

We note quite a range of colored hosiery being worn with sandals. Conventions and usage as well as countries are factors here. White socks were very common with sandals, although conventions here varied from country to country. Often white hosiery was worn with more dressy or formal outfits., but this was not always the case. Grey socks were very common in England, especially for school wear. We have also noted dark hosiery with sandals. In many vases this was blacl long stockings. We are less sure about colored stockings.

Patterns

Boys wearing hosiery with sandals commonly wore solid color socks and stovkings. We do note some boys wearing patterened socks, most commonly stripes. This seems to have been especially prevalent in the 1920s-40s. An exanple is a younger American boy about 1930. A HBC reader wonders if some mothers dod not like the fashion of sock stripes and sandal straps. Perhaps but I think it is more likely just a matter that striped socks were popular during this period.






HBC





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Created: 4:55 PM 7/29/2005
Last updated: 8:03 PM 10/24/2007