Figure 1.--This unidentified French CDV looks to date to the 1860s, probably the late-60s. The sharp corners of the mount confirm that it is an early CDV. Note the boy's very complicated diagonal crossing pattern stockings. We have found very few examples of stockings like this in the photographic record.

Diagonal patterns are another rather rare pattern-type for long stockings. We were surprised to find a CDV showing a French boy wearing long stockings with a very complicated diagonal pattern. The CDV is undated, but looks like the 1860s . It is similar to an Argyle pattern, but not quite the same. We have not seen a similar pattern in America until colorful knee socks (golf socks) appeared in the late-1920s. Of course Scottish Argyle knee socks appeared in the 19th century. We do not see them, however, done as long stockings. We are not sure why these complicated diagonal and similr patterns wee not more common. The only patterned stiockings we see in any numbers are the striped or nore curated banded stickings. We wonder of these complicated patterns werenot more expensive. Butin fashion terms we have no idea why these patterned stiockings were not more popular. It is possible that they may have been more popular in some countries, but our Europen archive is now large enough to indicate that this was not the case. .