Figure 1.--Here three schoolboys relaxing under a tree, although the boys are very unsmiling. They seem to be about 10 or 11 years old. They are all dressed alike, apparently in a school uniform, which consists of a dark knee pants suit worn with long black stockings and an Eton collar. The uniformity here is a good indicator that it was a school uniform. The jackets button down the front and go all the way up to the chin. Notice their school caps with small peaks. The boys wear the typical high ankle boots of the period. I'm not sure of the nationality. I suspect that the photo is British. The source dates the photo as 1892, a period when long stockings were still common in Britain.

Until the 19th century, men nd boys wore essebntially the sme clothes. This did not begin to change until the late 18th century with the appearance of the long-pants skeleton suit. As destinctive children's clothes became increasinglt popular in the 19th century, destincive hosiery developed for children. There were also major technological changes that brought kntted hosiery within the price rage of the average individual. We are not entirely sure what kind of hosiery boys wore with long pants skeleton suits in the early 19th century. We suspect that perhaps the same hosiery as worn with knee breeches, but we are not etirely sure. We do not know if short socks existed. This is a bit difficult to assess as boys wore long pants and girls long drsses. We do know that short socks were never worn with knee breeches. Longer lengths were not needed with long pants. I'm less sure about the hosiery worn with tunics. As knee pants became increasingly popular after the mid-19th century, boys increasingly wore long over-the-knee stockings. We know much more about hosiery in the late-19th centurybecause with the advent of kneepants, ir becomes relatively easy to use the photographic record to observe hosiery. Horizonal stripe stockings were popular for a time, but dark long stockings were most common. Until the the turn of the 20th century, long white stockings do not seem to have been very common. There were differences from country to country. Kneesocks also increased in popularity. Three quarter stockings became popular in France during the late 19th century and were widely worn by younger American boys in the early 20th century.

The 1800s

Inventors began to address the task of mechanizing the knitting process in the early 19th century. We are not entirely sure what kind of hosiery boys wore with long pants skeleton suits in the early 19th century. We suspect that perhaps the same hosiery as worn with knee breeches, but we are not etirely sure. We do not know if short socks existed. This is a bit difficult to assess as boys wore long pants and girls long drsses. We do know that sjort socks were never worn with knee breeches. Longer lengths were not needed with long pants.

The 1810s

I'm less sure about the hosiery worn with tunics.

The 1860s

As knee pants became increasingly popular after the mid-19th century, boys increasingly wore long over-the-knee stockings. We know much more about hosiery after mis-century. Two developments are important here. First the advent of photography. Second the increasing popularity of kneepantsand bloomer knickets. Unlike long pants, they did not compleely cover up hosiery. It becomes relatively easy to use the photographic record to observe hosiery.

The 1870s

Horizonal stripe stockings fir children were were popular for a time. Carl Frenschl arrived from Germany and opened up a small store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His father bought a prototype of a loom designed to make hosiery. It did not work very well. Frenschl began tinkering with it and soon the family began to focus on the production of hosiery after moving to Miluake, Wisconsin where they opened a small factory. This was the beginoing of the Holeproof Hosiery Co. and their noted guarantee that their stockings would last 6 months with out holes or would be replsaced free of charge. [Holeproof] Yhey also introduced lisle to replace wool. This was a durable cotton weave.

The 1880s

Dark long stockings became incresingly popular in the 1880s.

The 1890s

Until the the turn of the 20th century, long white stockings do not seem to have been very common. There were differences from country to country. Kneesocks also increased in popularity. Three quarter stockings became popular in France during the late 19th century and were widely worn by younger American boys in the early 20th century. MostvAmerican children, boys and girls, wore long stockings inthe 1890s. Black long stockings were especially common.

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Created: 1:38 AM 7/12/2006
Last updated: 2:27 AM 3/5/2008