Figure 1.--Here we see four boys with toys and other items that collected at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois; taken in 1893. Notice they all wear black long stockings.

Black long stockings were the standard hosiery for American boys in the 1890s. They were common for girls as well. Many portraits from the 1890s show children wearing black long stockings. This included boys of all ages wearing all kinds of different outfits. A good example of a younger boy is the Sanborn boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit about 1890. It is difficult to be entirely sure that the stockings are black rather than dark colors such as brown. Here fading with washing is a problem, although one would guess that mother would set out a rather new pair of stockings for a portrait. Adding to the complications here is that many images archived on HBC are not dated. We can roughly assess the date of a portrait, but this is of course not as good as an actual confirmed date. A good example here are two Indianapolis brothers who we believed had their portraits taken in the 1890s. HBC's catalog pages for this decade show only black stockings being worn by boys with knee pants. This includes sailor suits, Faunterloy suits, and various other garments as well. Black long stockings might even be worn with white outfits such as sailor suits. We note the Lowe brothers who we believed had their portrait taken in 1893 wearing light-colored sailor suits with black long stockings. We note an 1897 advertisement for stocking supporters shows the models wearing only black long stockings. Whie black was the most common color for long stockings, it was not the only color. We notice the oldest Whitney boy, for example, wearing a different color od stockings. He is the boy on the left and he wears stockings that are not the standard black--apparently brown or dark tan. We can't identify the color with certainty because of the black abd white photogeaphy of the day.

Prevalence

Black long stockings were the standard hosiery for American boys in the 1890s. They were common for girls as well. Many portraits from the 1890s show children wearing black long stockings. We would estimate that more than 80 percent of the boys wearing knee pants wore them with black long stockings, perhaps even 90 percent.

Ages

Black lon stockings were worn by boys of all ages. This included boys wearing all kinds of different outfits. A good example of a younger boy is the Sanborn boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit about 1890.

Assssing Blck and White Photographs

It is difficult to be entirely sure that the stockings are black rather than dark colors such as brown. Here fading with washing is a problem, although one would guess that mother would set out a rather new pair of stockings for a portrait.

Dating

Adding to the complications here is that many images archived on HBC are not dated. We can roughly assess the date of a portrait. This is specially true as knee pants got shorter in the 1890s. We actually see boys wearing pants cut to knee level. , but this is of course not as good as an actual confirmed date. A good example here are two Indianapolis brothers who we believed had their portraits taken in the 1890s.

Catalogs

Retail catalog pages are very useful for color assessments. Catalog pages are not only dated, but include color information. The 1890s catalog pages we have found so far do not yet include detailed hosiery pages. The illustrations clearly show colored long stockings being worn which are done to suggest stockings matching the outfits. We alson note many ilustrations showing black stockings being worn by boys with knee pants. This includes sailor suits, Faunterloy suits, and various other garments as well. We note an 1897 advertisement for stocking supporters shows the models wearing only black long stockings. Whie black was the most common color for long stockings, it was not the only color.

Outfit Colors

Some mothers apparently tried to match stocking and outfit colods, but this is a little difficult to ssess in black and whire photogrphy. What is clear that black long stockings were worn with all different colored outfits. Black long stockings were worn with outfits of many different colors. They might even be might even be worn with white outfits such as sailor suits. We note the Lowe brothers who we believed had their portrait taken in 1893 wearing light-colored sailor suits with black long stockings.

Color Shades

while it is often possible to identify black and white stockings in old photographs, coloes are very difficult. Black was clearly the most common color. We rarely see boys wearing whote long stockings in the 1890s. Other colors are much more difficult, but there clearly were other colors. This can bd conformed in catalogs, literary refferences, and color lithography. We believe that blue, brown, grey, and red stockings were worn. We can also see it in the photographic record, although the actul color shade can not be identified. Red is aparticularly tricky cilor as it shows up as a very dark shade in period portraits. And it can be done in shades that are not bright red, but rather brownish reds. Another problem in assessing old photographs is that some off-black stocking may be faded black stockings. Other phtographs show shades that are far enough off black that they are clearly aifferent color. Most of the stockings we have found are dark and differentiating colors is impossible. We note a few boys wearing light-colored stockings. Some are very light shades, but clearly not white. We are not sure what colors are involved here. We think they may be grey. Light browns or beige is a nother possibility. We notice the oldest Whitney boy, for example, wearing a different color of stockings. He is the boy on the left and he wears stockings that are not the standard black--apparently brown or dark tan. We can't identify the color with certainty because of the black abd white photogeaphy of the day. Later in the 20th century beige shades became popular, but are nitat all sure this was the case in the 1890s yet. Here a factor was probably modesty.

Created: 2:40 AM 3/22/2005
Last updated: 11:11 PM 9/14/2012