Victorian & Edwardian Stockings

Via – I’ll take any of these, please.

Throughout history, people have worn some pretty spectacular hosiery.  I’m tickled today when I see fantastic socks for sale (and I often buy them, too), because it’s really nothing new.  We are all familiar with 18th century clocked stockings, but things didn’t get mundane after that century’s passing.  On the contrary!  Check out what the Victorians and Edwardians were wearing…

Lace Inserts – c. 1900-1910

The Met – lace inset stockings, 1900-1910

Via eBay – chantilly lace inserts, typical of Late Victorian/Edwardian

The Met – another pair with lace inserts, 1900-1910

Eye-bursting Patterns – 1870s

The Met – Bold patterns were popular in the 1870s

The Met – 1873 – two different patterns in the same colors.  Zowy!

The Met – 1870. My particular Victorian favorite, because you can still find these in stores today

“Old-Fashioned” Clocks – 1800-1860s

The Met – labeled “19th century”

The Met – 1865. These look 18th century, but are 100 years younger

The Met – 1859

Geometrics – 1890s-1900

The Met – 1900

The Met – 1890s

The Met – 1890s, and another style still available today

Repeated Pattern – 1800-early 20th c. (into 1920s too)

The Met – 1887

The Met – 1890s

The Met – 1900

So when you’re out shopping for period socks, keep these ideas in mind.  Occasionally you’ll run into some surprisingly historical hosiery out there, like these examples…

Sock Dreams – striped socks, similar to 1890s

Sock Dreams – a bold design, similar to 1870s styles

Modcloth – similar to 1900-1910 styles

There’s also the American Duchess range, which will be expanding from 18th c. and early 19th c. into Victorian and Edwardian for this Holiday Season. 🙂

American Duchess Edwardian/1920s silk stockings – coming soon.