1920s Hosiery: The Flapper Revolution

The 1920s transformed stockings from hidden intimate wear to visible fashion statements. As hemlines rose and women gained new freedoms, hosiery became one of the most important fashion accessories of the era.

Before the 1920s

Prior to WWI, women's stockings were almost never seen:

• Floor-length skirts: Completely concealed legs
• Black or white: Standard colors, no sheerness
• Cotton common: Silk reserved for wealthy
• Functional: Not considered fashion items
• Thick: Warmth mattered, appearance didn't

Showing an ankle was scandalous—stockings were strictly private.

The Rising Hemline

WWI began the transformation:

As skirts rose, stockings became visible—and suddenly very important.

The Flapper Look

The iconic flapper style demanded specific hosiery:

• Flesh-toned: "Nude" colors to mimic bare legs
• Sheer: Visible skin texture through fabric
• Silk: Luxury material for the modern woman
• Rolled tops: Stockings rolled below the knee
• No garters showing: Clean line essential

The goal was an illusion of bare legs with just a hint of shimmer.

The Roll

Flappers famously rolled their stockings:

• Just below knee: Visible when sitting
• Scandalous: Older generations were horrified
• Practical: No need for garters or garter belt
• Fashionable: Showed off the modern attitude

"Roll 'em down" became slang for the flapper lifestyle.

New Colors

1920s brought revolutionary color changes:

• Flesh tones: Peach, suntan, nude—brand new concept
• Named shades: "Atmosphere," "Moonlight," "Blush"
• Black retreats: Once standard, now considered old-fashioned
• Decorative: Clocked stockings with embroidered designs

Matching stockings to skin tone was a new art form.

Silk Becomes Essential

With stockings visible, quality mattered:

• Pure silk: The only acceptable choice for fashionable women
• Price increase: Women spent more on hosiery than ever
• Japanese imports: America's silk came from Japan
• Economic impact: Silk stockings became major industry

Average women spent 10-15% of their clothing budget on stockings.

Rayon: The Art Silk

Not everyone could afford real silk:

• Artificial silk: Rayon developed as cheaper alternative
• Lower status: Considered "poor girl's silk"
• Problems: Baggier, less lustrous, less durable
• Mixed fabrics: Silk-rayon blends common

Rayon expanded the market but couldn't match silk's prestige.

Fully Fashioned

Fully fashioned stockings became the gold standard:

• Shaped knitting: Knitted to fit the leg's curve
• Back seam: Signature seam up the back
• Fashion marks: Small dots showing where shaping occurred
• Superior fit: Contoured to the leg shape

The back seam became an iconic symbol of femininity.

The Stocking Industry Booms

Hosiery manufacturing exploded:

• American production: Mills throughout the South and Northeast
• Major employers: Thousands of jobs in stocking factories
• Innovation: Constant improvement in sheerness and durability
• Advertising: First major hosiery marketing campaigns

Social Scandal

The new hosiery standards shocked older generations:

• "Loose women": Sheer stockings considered immoral
• Dress codes: Some schools banned rolled stockings
• Church sermons: Preachers condemned visible legs
• Generation gap: Mothers vs. daughters battles

The stocking revolution was part of broader social change in women's roles.

The Crash

The 1929 stock market crash sobered fashion:

• Hemlines dropped: More conservative styles returned
• Silk expensive: Depression made luxury harder
• Mending culture: Women repaired stockings rather than replace
• Lasting impact: But visible hosiery never went away

The flapper era ended, but its hosiery revolution continued. Women would never return to hiding their legs.