German Long Stocking Lengths: Chronology


Figure 1.--This wonderful styilized portrait was taken of a German boy in Hildesheim. The portrait is undated, but we believe was taken about 1910. As with many such portraits, it is difficult to tell what length of long stockings the boy is wearing. Given the length of his knickers, the stockings would not need to be a length much above the knee.

We have begun to collect information on different lengths of long stockings. We also have information on diifferent decades which provides some insights on chronological trends. German boys wore long stockungs in the 19th century, but our information is very limited on the lengths prevalent durng this period. We believe that they were relatively short because of the long length of the kneepants boys were wearing. We have much more iunformation on the 20th century. German boys wore long stockings throughout the first half of the 20th century. In the 1930s the length of the stockings became more complicated as boys began wearing shorter cut short pants. HBC is not sure why shorter shorts began to be worn at this time. One HBC reader believes was due to an increasing spirit of athletici, which called for shorter pants, especially in warmer summer season. This required mothers who continued to insist on long stockings to either to buy or make longer stockings for spring or autumn or for the evening hours. Thus long stockinfs which were initially made ar lengths just above the knee gradyually were made longer and longer, extending well above the knee. Some boys found that that the hem of the stockings never reached the lower hem of very short shorts. Most objected to this, espcially as their stocking supporters including the white button or the metal clasps would show. All this was by some children consdidered as extremely girlish or childish and were teased by other boy. There were other boys (and their mothers) to whom this did not matter. We see fewer boys in the 1950s, but the lengths of the stockings by that time were quite long because of the shorter cut shorts boys were wearing.

The 19th Century

German boys wore long stockungs in the 19th century, but our information is very limited on the lengths prevalent durng this period. We believe tht they were relatively short because of the length of the kneepants boys were wearing.

The 20th Century

We have much more iunformation on the 20th century. German boys wore long stockings throughout the first half of the 20th century. In the 1930s the length of the stockings became more complicated as boys began wearing shorter cut short pants. HBC is not sure why shorter shorts began to be worn at this time. One HBC reader believes was due to an increasing spirit of athletici, which called for shorter pants, especially in warmer summer season. This required mothers who continued to insist on long stockings to either to buy or make longer stockings for spring or autumn or for the evening hours. Thus long stockinfs which were initially made ar lengths just above the knee gradyually were made longer and longer, extending well above the knee. Some boys found that that the hem of the stockings never reached the lower hem of very short shorts. Most objected to this, espcially as their stocking supporters including the white button or the metal clasps would show. All this was by some children consdidered as extremely girlish or childish and were teased by other boy. There were other boys (and their mothers) to whom this did not matter. We see fewer boys in the 1950s, but the lengths of the stockings by that time were quite long because of the shorter cut shorts boys were wearing.





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



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Created: 8:56 PM 5/29/2005
Last updated: 8:56 PM 5/29/2005