Member Since: 05/06/2007
Band Members: A Short History of Stockings
Socks & Stockings also known as hosiery are coverings for legs and feet.
Greek workmen and slaves wore hosiery in ancient times, and Roman woman wore a short sock (called a soccus) in their homes.In 12th century Europe the breeches worn by men became close fitting, reaching from the waist to the foot like modern tights. They were held up at the waist with laces. Woman wore stockings held up above the knee by garters.
After 1545 knitted stockings came into fashion, their seams often being covered by elaborate silk patterns, or “clocksâ€.William Lee, an English clergyman, made the first knitting machine in 1589.Silk Stockings were sometimes worn several pairs at a time in cold weather. In the 17th century, when large boots were in fashion, linen “boot hose†were worn to protect the silk stockings underneath. They had wide lace tops, which were turned over the boots. Men continued to wear silk stockings with garters until the end of the 18th century, but then long trousers began to appear and socks have been worn underneath ever since.In the 19th century machine-made cotton stockings became available for women. After World War I (1914-1918) short skirts were fashionable and long silk stockings were worn again.Nylon stockings became popular after World War II (1939-1945) and eventually almost completely replaced the silk stocking. Until the 1960’s they usually had seams. They were knitted flat and “fully fashioned†which means that they were shaped to fit the leg by decreasing the number of stitches towards the ankle.Seamless stockings are made on a circular knitting machine and are shaped by tightening the stitches. Hosiery is often described as being of a particular “denierâ€, which means the thickness of the yarn. The gauge describes the number of stitches in a row.In the 1960's when skirts were worn very short, many woman began to wear tights (pantyhose) instead of stockings.
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