Figure 1.--We have limited information on the types of stocking supporters used in the 19th centuty. This is because there are relatively few ads. In additin the kneepants worn by boys were so long that few clues are available from available portraits. In contrast, much more information is available from the 20th century.

The first stocking supporters we note are in the late 19th century. This corresponds to the growing popularity of kneepants and long stockings. Knee pants and long stockings were standard boys wear in the 1890s. Girls also wore long stockings. Thus period catalogs offer stocking supporters. They were also very common in the early 20th century. Boys and girls of all ages wore long stockings and thus stocking supporters were needed and offered in all major catalogs as well as commonly advertised in magazines. After World War I they became more often worn during the Winter and by younger boys. They were also wore as dress wear to some extent. We note samples from the the 1920s. The last prominent ads we note are from the early 1940s. Some small ads continue into the early 1950s.

The 19th Century

We have relatively limited information on stockings and how they were held up in the ealy 20th century. Thus we have relatively limited information on hosiery during the early 19th century and no information at all on stocking supporters. The first stocking supporters we note are in the late 19th century. We are not sure how long stocking were held up in the mid-19th century. During this period long stockings were mosttly worn by younger boys and girls. We assume makeshift arrangements were used like pins. Our information on the mid-1850s is limited by the relative rarity of advertising. Another factor is that lithography allowing the printing of illustrations was still quite basic. The first ad for a stocking supporter we have archived on HBC comes from a 1886 advertisement. This corresponds to the growing popularity of kneepants and long stockings. Knee pants and long stockings were standard boys wear in the 1890sand were being worn by teenagers as well as younger boys. Girls also wore long stockings. Thus period catalogs offer stocking supporters, especially by the 1890s. As far as we can tell, the selection was still quite limited.

The 20th Century

Stocking supportes were also very common in the early 20th century. Boys and girls of all ages wore long stockings and thus stocking supporters were needed and offered in all major catalogs as well as commonly advertised in magazines. They were especially common in the early 20th century before World War I. They were commonly worn by most children year round. After World War I they became more often worn during the Winter and by younger boys. They were also wore as dress wear to some extent. They become less common after the 1920s when long stockings began to decline in popularity. The most common type of stocking supporter was the underwaist commonly referred to as "waist". There were, however, several other types.

Created: 10:17 PM 7/2/2005
Last updated: 9:45 PM 11/14/2008