Figure 1.--Long stockings rapiddly went out of fashion in America during the 1940s, but they were still widely worn in Canada and many northern European countries. Here we see German children in the early-1940s wearing both knee socks and long stockings. The various brown shades were particularly common.

Long stockings began to decline in the 1940s, but this varied widely from country to country. Long stockings went out of style in America during the 1940s. We rarely see them after the early-40s. They continued somewhat in the northern tier along the Canadian border, but basically disappeared after the early-40s. At the time it was primarily the neutral colors that were being worn. This was not the case in many other countries, although they were increasingly becoming seasonal, cold weather garments. Long stockings continued to be widely worn in Canada, commonly with knickers which also continued to be worn in Canada. Long stockings also continued to be worn in Europe, especially northern Europe (Germany, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and other countries). And it was primarily the beige long stockings that continued to be worn in these countries. Our information is incomplete. We are not sure about Scandinavia, but believe they continued to be worn there, although we are not sure about the color. We also notice long stockings in northenr Asia, promrily the light-brown shades.

North America

There was quite a bit of difference between America and Canada. Long stockings went out of style in America during the 1940s. We rarely see them after the early-40s. They continued somewhat in the northern tier along the Canadian border, but basically disappeared after the early-40s. At the time it was primarily the neutral colors that were being worn. This was not the case in many other countries, although they were increasingly becoming seasonal, cold weather garments. Long stockings continued to be widely worn in Canada, commonly with knickers which also continued to be worn in Canada.

United States

Beige and tan long stockings continued to be worn in the United States during the early 1940s but had nearly vanished by mid-decade, at least for boys. We continue to see prominent ads in mail order catalogues at the beginning of the decade in which both boys and girls in tan long stockings are pictorially featured. The catalogs go out of the way to include boy and girl models in the illustrations in relatively equal numbers. This should not be interpreted as evidence that usage was equally divided between boys and girls. A salient advertisement in the Sears catalogue for 1940 shows a boy with tan stockings riding a wagon. The color options are mainly “dark tan” and “light tan". The following year ran two ads with pictures of boys in tan long stockings. The first shows two school children with the boy nicely dressed in a short-trousers suit with peaked cap and tan long stockings (fig. 1 on the linked page). Another illustration 6 months later again shows two children, a boy and a girl, wearing tan long stockings in more recreational, relaxed clothing. Sears then followed up with additional advertisements-—one in a 1942 catalogue showing the boy from the previous photo, now seen alone in the same striped jersey, playing with a toy airplane and another rather dressy photo introducing two new children in tan long stockings for a 1943 catalogue, again a boy and girl. This last photo was used an old illustration and reprinted it a 1945 catalogue. In addition to actual hosiery advertisements, we see the mail order compabies illustrating illustrations for other garments with models wearing long stockings. Note that a 1941-42 Wards ad for stocking supporters pictured the children wearing tan long stockings. Long stockings rarely appear in catalogs after mid-decade. Despite these ads in the early 40s, we see very few examples of American children actually wearing long stockings in the photographic record, especially for boys. And by in the late 40s we see few American children wearing long stockings, including the girls. We have found veryvfew exceptions. We have the testimony of a boy who grew up in Maine during the 1940s and early 1950s, the post-war years, that he and his brother wore “brown” (he later calls them “tan”) long stockings with shorts for reasons of warmth and hand-me-down economy after they had worn white stockings as toddlers. A nother source tells us, I grew up in Washington, D.C. during the 1940s. I don;t recall ever seeing long stockings of any color. Of course in the early 40s I was toobyongvtonnotive, but I would have noticed by the mid- and late-40s. As late as 1947-48, we see American-Slovak boys, their parents undoubtedly influenced by European customs, wearing tan long stockings with supporters, although by then American-born families had mostly abandoned the style.

Canada

The timeline for long stockings in Canadawas was different. The colder climate was surely part of the reason. Canada, having chillier climates, especially in the east, was slower to give up long stockings in the 1940s. An Eaton’s ad for long stockings shows a Canadian schoolboy and his classmate in 1940-41 wearing the beige long stockings that had become fashionable in the 1930s. Another ad from the same merchandizing house ran a further ad for light-colored long stockings in 1942. It shows a boy and girl playing outdoors on a windy day in warm long stockings (the boy in shorts). The black and white photo makes the shade difficult to determine, but the text clears up all doubt by informing us that the color options are “fawn” (i.e., tan) and “black”. Conservative French Cansadian Catholic sociery may have been another factor. A French Canadian family dressed one of their young sons in tan long stockings for an outing in 1942. We see a /country/can/pe/cpe1940-01s.htmlQuebec schoolboy from a conservative Catholic institution wearing the tan long stockings that the nuns appear to have considered proper at the time. We note a World War II scene, a Canadian boy of about 8 years of age becoming friendly with Canadian soldiers in 1942 and wearing the conventional beige long stockings. We have archived a pair of Canadian vintage tan stockings from the late 1940s, obviously sized for a young child. Here the darker shade of tan is obvious. Boys in Montreal still wore long stockings for first communion in 1948. Here among the St. Henri group, we see the traditional white long stockings, but at least two boys wear the more modern tan or beige hosiery with their short trousers. A photo of 1943 from a Montreal orphanage shows boys and girls both wearing tan long stockings with the play suits.

Europe

Long stockings continued to be extensively worn in Europe during the 1940s. There were substantial differences in Europe among different countries, primarily on a north south divide. This seems to be primarily a climatic matter. The principal, but not only reason for wearing long stockings in the 20th century was to keep wrm in cold weather thus explaining the relative rarily of long stockings in waemer southern Europe. Long stockings continued to be widely worn in northern Europe (Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and other countries) with cold winters. Here Germany was traditionally important, exerting an influence on neighboring countries. This changed in 1939-41 when Germany occupied these countries or took control of their economies. German policy shifted from promiting exports to economically exploiting these countries. Another problem after Germany launched World War II (1939-45) was shortages of cotton because of the Royal Navy blockade. This did notvaffect color, but it did affect production of hosiery. Thus shortages of consuner goods developed. Available evidence suggests that it was primarily the beige and brown shades of long stockings that continued to be worn when available in these countries. Other colors might be worm for formality, bur it is the tan colors that seem the most prevalent. Our information is still incomplete. We are not sure about Scandinavia, but believe they continued to be worn there, although we are not sure about the color. There is extensive information in the photographic record.

Northern Asia

We also notice long stockings in norther Asia, promrily the light-brown shades.