Figure 1.-- Here we see a little German boy having a good time in his play room. He looks to be about 5vyears old. He wears suspender shirts with what look like medium tan long stockings. These could be tights, we are really sure. Hopefuly readers can offer their insights. The snapshot is undated, but we would guess the late-1950s, possibly the early-60s. There was no indication as to where this snapshot was taken, but the general affluence apparent suggests West Germany ton us. Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

Long stockings also continued to be worn in northern Europe. Long stockings were still worn in Western Europe (especially Germany) and Eastern Europe during the 1950s. Here the Cold War was a factor. While long stockings were declining in the West, they continued to be commonly worn in the East. We mostly see lighter shades which we believe are mostly neutral tan/beige shades. We still see German children wearing long stockings, especially in the early 1950s. Most of our images are from West Germany, but long stockings were also worn in East Germany. We note a rare color image of a German boy wearing long stockings out on a hike in 1954. They look to be a washed-out pair of tan stockings, but we are not positive about the color. We note another German boy wearing tan cotton stockings with corduroy shorts in 1954. We notice a Polish boy wearing a a short pants suit with neutral-colored long stockings in 1956. A major factor was the appearance of tights in West Germamny which very rapidly replaced long stockings. The less consumer oriented economies on the other side of the Iron Curtain was slower to adopt tights and we continuecto see long stockings in the late-50s and well into the 60s. This was especially true of the Soviet Union.

Austria

Czechoslovakia

Denmark

Germany (East--DDR)

The Berlin Wall was not built until 1961, but Communist authorities throughout the 1950s move to separate themselves from West Germany (Federal Reoublic). We believe most of our images come from West Germany, but it is often not possible to tell the difference. Until the 1950s, clothing in East Germany was essentially thecsame as in the West. The developing Iron Cyrtain combined with the German Economic Miracle meant that differences began ton appear in the 1950s.

Germany (West--FRG)

Long stockings continued to be regularly worn in Germany during the 1950s although use declined. We still see German children wearing long stockings, especially in the early 1950s. Most of our images are from West Germany, but long stockings were also worn in East Germany. Three German brothers in 1952 all wear long stockings in different shades ranging from beige to dark tan. In 1953 we see a German hiker, apparently a boy of about 11 or 12, resting against a tree and wearing obviously beige long stockings attached to his garter with a Waschknopf or button sewn onto the stockings top. The following year a boy in corduroy shorts and light tan cotton long stockings was joining his friends who were apparently not wearing long stockings. We note a rare color image of a German boy wearing long stockings out on a hike in 1954. They look to be a washed-out pair of tan stockings, but we are not positive about the color. We note another German boy wearing tan cotton stockings with corduroy shorts in 1954. We also have a 1955 color photo in which two children, probably a brother and sister at about age 9 and 10 yeaes, seem to be wearing light tan stockings, although one reader has thought they are more likely light gray. Most of our German examples come from the early- and mid-50s. By the late-50s we see very few examples. A major factor was the appearance of tights in West Germamny which very rapidly replaced long stockings. A certain instance of tan long stockings is evident in a 1958 Christmas photo of a small boy playing with his model train. Here the metal claps of the hose supporters are clearly visible.

Hungary

We notice a Polish boy wearing a a short pants suit with neutral-colored long stockings in 1956.

Russia

The less consumer oriented economies on the other side of the Iron Curtain was slower to adopt tights and we continuecto see long stockings in the late-50s and well into the 60s. This was especially true of the Soviet Union. Long stockings were common in the in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union of course was a very large country. We believe there were regional differences. We suspect that they were most common in the Baltics, Beylorusia, and Russia (including Siberia). We are less so about Ukraine. A Russian reader tells us that mist chikldren wore various briwn shades including light tans. A Russian magazine shows a boy in ribbed long stockings that are probably light brown or dark tan in 1953. He is relaxing at home, however, rather than at school and, except for the absence of the red neckerchief, is dressed similarly to the Young Pioneers, who wore both long stockings and knee socks with their uniforms.

Sweden

Switzerland

Swiss children continued wearing long stockings, peimarily tan shades in the 1950s. As in the previous decade, Swiss examples of light-colored or tan long stockings are prolific. Most of our examples come from schools, but we believe that they were also widely worn for play. Dark stockings were more common for formal wear. A class of Eicherliacker School children (1950s) shows numerous children of both genders wearing tan long stockings. Note especially the two boys in the first row. A Madetswil primary school (1953) offers a further example. where tan and beige long stockings seem to dominate. Uitikon Waldegg village school (1953) also has a few children in tan stockings; notice especially the boy at the end of the first row (right) and the girls behind him to the left. A secondary pupil at Russikon School (1954) seems also to be wearing tan long stockings, rather heavy ones. Still a further 1954 example isTössfeld School, where we see tan and light brown long stockings prominently in evidence. Two boys at the Ilnau School in 1954 (note the front row) wear tan or beige long stockings. And we see two older boys (perhaps twins since they are dressed exactly alike), probably secondary students, wearing woolen long stockings in 1955 that look either beige or very light gray. Like the German examples, they seam to primarily comecfrom the eaely- and mid-50s.