Figure 1.--

We also see a good deal of ribbed hosiery, including long stockings, knee socks and annkle socks. We are not sure just when ribbed hosiery first appeared. We first note them in the mid-19th century, due to the accurate photographic images. We are not yet sure that is when they first appeared. Notably the mid-19th century is when major innovations in manufacturing methods began. A reader writes, "One general point which we have made before but that may need repeating here is that in the 1910s and later almost all long stockings were ribbed. The flat-weave look, however, just meant that the ribbing was too small to see and gave the appearance of smoothness. All stockings were really ribbed (although mostly finely ribbed) because of the desired elasticity and closeness of fit." We note, however, that with knee socks and ankle socks that while some were ribbed, most were a flat knit. It is often difficulkt to tell if knee socks were ribbed. One exanple is an unidentified Czech boy. Here a factor seems to be patterns. The ribbed knee socks and ankle socks we have seem were commonly single colored socks. Socks with elaborate patterns like argyles were as far as we know were done with a flat knit.