Figure 1.--This is one of the latest cabinet card portraots we have archived. It was a large 7 x 10 inch card. This and the knee socks suggest to us that it was taken in the early-1920s rather thn the 1910s. He wears a white short pants sailor suit with knee socks and strap shoes. He has page-boy bangs. The studio was Otto Sarony Co. in New York City, a high-end studio. A reader writes, "I was wondering what age you would guess the boy is. From the face I would guess 6 or 7 as there is very little baby fat which would be true for a 5 to 6 year old." Unfortunately there was nothing written on the back of the card. I would probably go with 5 to 6 year old, although we wouldn't rule out 7 years of age.

Sailor suits have also been worn with many different types of hosiery. We have noted all lengths of hosiery from over-the-knee-long stockings to ankle socks. What we rarely see is boys going barefoot wearing sailor suits. Of course this may not have been picked up in the studio-based 19th century photographic record, but we also do not notice it in the 20th century either when family snapshots became available. This probably reflects social class abd demographic factors. The type of hosiery worn with sailor suits varied chronologically. Both the types and colors of hosiery have changed over time. We see almost all American boys wearing sailor suits in the 19th century wearing long stockings, at least the boys wearing knee pants sailor suits. Sailor suits were also done with long pants. We re not sure what type of hosiery the boys with long pants wore. While we know the boys with knee pants wore dark long stockings. We are not sure about the color. We know many boys wore black long stockings, but we think many more navy blue long stockings as well. This we cannot, however confirm, given the black-and-white photography of the day. The type of hosiery worn becomes more complicated at the turn-of-the 20th century. We start to see boys wearing socks in the early 20th century rather than the long stockings worn during the 19th century. At first we notice three-quarter socks. White was for the first time popular, but we also see dark socks. And we see white long stockings for the first time in any numbers. By the 1910s we see colored bands added to the white socks. And knee pants began to gove way to knickers and short pants. Long pants were also worn. And in the 10s we begin to see knee socks. These chronological trends are not absolute, but this was the general pattern. Notably children's hosiery was quite similar for both boys and girls in the 19th century and early-20th century, but in the 1920s began to diverge significantly.

Hosiery Types

Sailor suits have also been worn with many different types of hosiery. Sailor suits were worn over a century and thus encompased all the major types of hosiery except the most modern. The photographic record offers great details ion both sailor suits and the hoisiery types worn with them. We have noted all lengths of hosiery from over-the-knee-long stockings to ankle socks. These varied chronologically a;long with general changes in hosiery styles. There were no dedicated sailor suit hosiery, just the popular fashion of the day. Of course our ability to see the hosiery was affected by the type of pants worn. The first sailor suits were done with long pants, often bell bottoms. This leaves us with no idea as to the hosiery. Gradually we begin to see shortend-lenth pants, knee pants and bloomer knickers. Even as shortened-length pants began to become standard for school-age boys, some sailor suits were done with long pants, emulsting actual uniforms. American sailor suits were generally worn with long stockings during the 19th century, even during the summer. This was different than in mny European countries. This was true for both boys and girls. There wa little variety, except in the color of the stockings. With the 20th century, knee pants began to give way to knickers and short pants. Three-quater socks were popular in the early-20th century. And then in the 10s we begin to see knee socks. The unidentified New York boy here wears white knee socks matching his white suit (figure 1). These chronological trends are not absolute, but this was the general pattern. Girls wore the same basic hosiery types wih the saolor suirs they wore with skirts as wll as sailor dresses.

Barefeet

What we rarely see is boys going barefoot wearing sailor suits. A factor here is th conndectin with both aristorcracy and the middleclass, the affluent secors of society. Of course this may not have been picked up in the studio-based 19th century photographic record, but we also do not notice it in the 20th century either when family snapshots became available. This probably reflects social class and demographic factors.

Chronology

The type of hosiery worn with sailor suits varied chronologically. Both the types and colors of hosiery have changed over time. We see almost all American boys wearing sailor suits in the 19th century wearing long stockings, at least the boys wearing knee pants sailor suits. Sailor suits were also done with long pants. We are not sure what type of hosiery the boys with long pants wore. While we know the boys with knee pants wore dark long stockings. The type of hosiery worn becomes more complicated at the turn-of-the 20th century. We start to see boys wearing socks in the early-20th century rather than the long stockings worn during the 19th century. At first we notice three-quarter socks.

Colors

We are not sure about the color of the hosiery worn with sailor suits. Generally it was dark hosiery, often matching the color of the sailor suit. We know many boys wore black long stockings, but we think many more navy blue long stockings as well. It is often possible to detect black in blackm and white photography, but navy blue is so closse to black that it is commonly almostbimpossible to destinguish btwen thevto. This we cannot, however, confirm given the black-and-white photography of the day.White was for the first time popular, but we also see dark socks. And we see white long stockings for the first time in any numbers. Even at this time, we commonly see boys and girls wearing black long stockings with white sailor suits, but for the firt time we begin to see white hosiery as well. This is the one color we can confirm with any surity. It was not by far the most common color and generally worn for dressy occassions. By the 1910s we see colored bands added to the white socks. Then white hosiery become less common, at the same time sailor suits are also decling in popularity. We se some children wearing tan long stickings with sailorsuits in the 1920s and early-30s, primarily because the tan shades became standard for long stockings at the time. Sailor suits basically went out of style, at least, forbboys, before color photography became common. Girlssailor outfits continued into the era when color photograph became common. Here we see a range iof colors, alough blue and white were the most common.

Gender

Notably children's hosiery was quite similar for both boys and girls in the 19th century and early-20th century, but in the 1920s began to diverge significantly.

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Created: 1:35 PM 7/4/2012
Last updated: 7:35 AM 12/11/2014