Figure 1.--This CD portrait is a riot of stripes going every which way. The portrait shows a New York boy wears a cut away jacket and bow with striped knee pants. He also wears striped long stockings. He also has high button shoes. The photographer is Bogardus from New York City. Put your cursor on the image for a better view of the stockings. Strange that the photographer chosed a striped blanket. There are even strips on his knee pants.

There were also patterened long stockings. These were primarily striped stockings in the 19th century and for a time they were very popular, especilly during the 1870s abnd 80s. Striped stockings were done with many different types of bands. The variety involved is very substantial. Some were done with wide, bold stripes, often of equal widths in two alternating colors. This was npmally a dark and white or light-colored band. Such a bold patteren made the hosiery the most destintive article of clothing, an unusul fashion convention. The actual widths varied. At this time we are unsure as to what colors were used. There were also stripe patterns which narrow stripes and bands in various widths and colors. Most of the stripped pattern are basically repeatedly replicating a basic pattern. Others are more varied and complicated. Here the number of possible patterns are virtually numberless. Illustrations often show the two alternating patterns of equal widths. I think because this was the easiest to draw. The photographic record shows that the stripe patterns actually worn were more varied.

Decade Trends

We are not entirely sure about the chronology of these striped stockings. We do not see striped stockings in the early-19th century. Mostly we see white stockings, but boys mostly wore long pants and photography only appeared in the 1840s so our information is limited. We do not see many in the 1860s. White stockings seem much more popular. We are not entirely sure just when these striped stockings began to appear, but we have begun to build a chronology. We believe it was the late-1860s or early-70s. Unfortunately we have very few dated images. It is fairly easy to date 1860s and 70s portraits, but not distinuish between the late0-60s and eraky-70s. We think that they were primarily worn in the 1870s. We also see large numbers of boys and girls wearing them in thev170s. We also notice these striped stockings in the 1880s, especially the early- and mid-80s. By the late-80s, dark long stockings, especially black long stockings were becoming increasingly popular. It is interesting that they were worn over such a narrow time frame. We are not entirely sure why that was.

Patterns

We notice several different types of long stocking patterns. Almost all were strripes, actually colored bands. Some of the patterns are very basic, only involving two colors. Others are much more varied and complicated. Here the number of possible patterns are virtually numberless. Illustrations often show the two alternating patterns of equal widths. This is rather misleading. We think this occurred because this was the easiest to draw. The photographic record shows that the stripe patterns actually worn were more varied. We note many images with a kind of mixture of narrow and wide stripes. These various stripes mean that many different colors could be used.the most common.

Wide Stripes

Some striped long stockings were done with wide, bold stripes, often of equal widths in two alternating colors. This was npmally a dark and white or light-colored band. Such a bold patteren made the hosiery the most destintive article of clothing, an unusul fashion convention. The actual widths varied. At this time we are unsure as to what colors were used. These wide stripes have a rather sporting look to us today, rather like football socks. They were worn by some baseball teams which suggests they were seen as a sortive style. I'm not sure that was the image they conveyed in the 19th century. At least we see boys in suits with no suggestions of sport attire. This option seems to be pattern most commonly chosen in illustrations. Despite the sporty image, we do not notice them bring worn with clothes that seem particularly sporty.

Narrow Stripes

There were also long stockings with stripe patterns which had narrow stripes in the photographic record. We are not sure if narrow stripes should be considered narrow stripes on solid-colored stockings or a mix of narrow and wide bands. They often seem to be dark colors on white stockings, but we also see light-narrow stripes on dark stockings. These stripped pattern are repeared again and again all along the length of the stocking, basically repeatedly replicating a basic pattern. This option is not as bold as the pattern with alternating bold stripes. From a distance it probably looked more like solid colored stockings. We are not yet sure how common it was. The actual width of the narrow stripes could vary.

Mixed Stripes

There were also stripe patterns that mixed different stripes both wide and narrow stripes and bands in various widths and colors. The widths are clearly discernable. Unfortunately there is no way to dertermine the color combinations. Unlike the other options, the patterns are often not repeated. Thus the patterns are highly varied. Here the number of possible patterns are virtually numberless. Illustrations often show the two alternating patterns of equal widths. This is rather misleading. We think this occurred because this was the easiest to draw. The photographic record shows that the stripe patterns actually worn were more varied. These mixed width stipes and bands do not have the bold, sporty appearance of the wide stripes. We note many images with a kind of mixture of barrow and wide stripes. These various stripes mean that many different colors could be used. We are not sure how common this option was but we see mamy examples in the photographic record.

Created: 5:14 AM 5/10/2009
Last updated: 1:09 AM 1/31/2014