Long Stockings: Chronology--Mid-20th Century (1940s-60s)


Figure 1.--Long stockings were widely worn in the early-20th centuty by boith boys nd girls , but became less common after World War II. We still see them in Canada, West Germany, and Scadinavia durig the 1950s, but not much afterwards. We continue to see stocking in East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union during the 1960s until thet were replaced with tights. This occurred first in Wast Germny and about a decde later in the Soviet Union. The boy here is wearing long stocking probably in the 1950s. We are not sure where, but would guess Germany because he is also wearing socks. The surroundings suggest East Germany. .

American boys by 1940 mostly wore either ankle socks or kneesocks. Long stockings, however, had not entirely disappeared. They were still available as late as the mid to late 1940s. An American reader reports, "In the late 1940s and early 50s, little boys were still wearing long brown stockings. I know from experience. Hand-me downs were prevalent in my family due to economics. There are also `baby' pictures in the family album that show both my brother and I in long white stockings, about late-46 or early-47." Long stockings continued to be more commonly worn in several European countries such as Germany, Poland. Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries as cold weather wear. We note German boys still commonly wearing long stockings, especially in the early 1950s. A good example is unidentified German family. A new style in the 1960s appeared in those countries which competed with long stockings--tights. Another example is an East German school class in 1951. Several boys and girls wear long stockings.

The 1940s

Up to about the early 1930s long stockings were almost universally worn by boys in Europe and North America. An exception was Britain and France and southern Europe. There were major changes during the 30s and thus by the 1940s, long stockings were much less prevalent. They were still worn gto an extent in Ameruca during the early 40s. American boys by 1940 mostly wore either ankle socks or knee socks, mostly ankle socks. Long stockings, however, had not entirely disappeared. They were still available as late as the mid to late 1940s. An American reader reports, "In the late 1940s and early 50s, little boys were still wearing long brown stockings. I know from experience. Hand-me downs were prevalent in my family due to economics. There are also `baby' pictures in the family album that show both my brother and I in long white stockings, about late-46 or early-47." There were areas, however, where long stockings continued to be worn. They were still common in Canada, Germany, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union.

The 1950s

Long stockings continued to be more commonly worn in several European countries such as Germany, Poland. Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries as cold weather wear. We note German boys still commonly wearing long stockings, especially in the early 1950s. A good example is unidentified German family. A new style in the 1960s appeared in those countries which competed with long stockings--tights. Another example is an East German school class in 1951. Several boys and girls wear long stockings. A reader writes, "Thes question of tan stockings puzzled me for a long time and it is just by a series of deductions that I came to understand how those stockings were perceived as a progress in the 1930s but became obsolete in the 50s. For doing more sports, boys needed knickerss and long pants like if action was the main goal of education from 1950. When looking at kids in the 20s, we see them not only with short pants and bare legs but also in bare foot. Because kids loved to be like that and parents too long tan stockings became a nice solution to black stockings which were no longer adapted to the fashion revolution of the 20s. It became imperative at that time that kids have to wear shoes and stockings to protect their feet. Tan stockings became a representation of nature and movement, something more modern after World War I. So, in the 1950s, tan stockings had become associated with girls and were also no longer seen as trendy. You can understand why boys asked so much to wear long pants in the 50s. As a boy, we loved to play GI Joe while having guns and banger (cap) pistols. we identified to World War II heroes. Those who didn't play war or refused to fight were considered as "sissy", just good for doll playing !!! This period of time was hard for boys who were required to be "rough and tough". Since then, feminist movement asks for a prohibition of war games among boys or any inculcation of "macho" culture. For a boy like me who lived that period of time, it was really hard to be perceived as an intellectual, a future "egg head" or a false girl. I hope that other readers will react to this. I am more and more convinced that I am right when formulating this kind of 'discovery'."

The 1960s

Long stockings by the 1960s had largely disappeard. They were no longer commonly worn in West Germany, although theywere still quite common East Germany. We note they were still worn in Eastern Europe (especially East Germany and Poland) the Soviet Union. A good example is two Soviet boys, we think in the early 60s. The fashion persisted longer beyond the Iron Curtain--about 10 years beyond the prevailing fashion in cities. The GDR continued to promote long stockings for boys into the 1970s. We also notice in rural areas longer than in the cities. Soviet children wore log tickings into the lte 1960s at which time they were rapidly replaced by tights.








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Related HBC Hosiery Pages:
[Return to the main Main long stocking chronology page]
[Knee socks] [White knee socks] [Long stockings]
[Striped socks] [White stockings] [Tights]



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Created: 6:37 PM 5/3/2005
Last updated: 3:12 AM 2/8/2018