Figure 1.--Here we see an American boy from San Fatncisco. The portrait was probably taken in the 1870s. Note the stripped stockings and the kneepants cut below the knee. Some kneepants were even longer. As a result the stockings did not have to be very long. We can't be sure what type of hose supporter the boy is wearing because all we can see is the Y-division of his garters. This leaves the type ambiguous. It is likely that even if the boy were wearing an underwaist, he would have detachable garters (probably pin-on style) attached to the underwaist. My guess is that he wears an underwaist with pin-on supporters attached.

We note long stockings made in a variety of different lengths. Mothers knitting stockings at home could of course knit the stockings to what ever length they desired. Thus home-knitted stockings exisited in a large range of lengths. Commercially produced stockings were made in more standardized lengths. This varied over time with changes in fashions and clothing styles--especially the length of pants and skirts.

Home Knitting

hus home-knitted stockings exisited in a large range of lengths. In earlier periods both in America and in Europe some long stockings were hand-knitted at home and could of course be made any length needed. Mothers knitting stockings at home could of course knit the stockings to what ever length they desired. This was very common in the 19th century and still not unusual in the early 20th century.

Commercially Manufactured Stockings

Here we are discussing stocking length in reference to the stockings purchased at stores or from manufacturers. Commercially produced stockings were made in more standardized lengths. This varied over time with changes in fashions and clothing styles--especially the length of pants and skirts. Normally advertisements did not specify the length. This was because the stockings offered were often the same standard length which was affected by the contemporary fashions. We note some advertisements with different lengths of stockings offered, but this was not very common. The major variable here was the length of pants and skirts worn by children. When boys mostly wore mostly kneepants, long stockings only needed to extend to just above the knee. Even this varied as some kneepants came to only calf length. Later when boys mostly wore them with short pants and girls with shorter skirs, the available stockings needed to be longer. There was only one length for each size, based roughly on age.