History of Fully Fashioned Stockings

Fully fashioned stockings were the gold standard of hosiery from the 1920s through the 1960s. Their distinctive back seam became an icon of feminine elegance—and the manufacturing process that created it represents a lost art.

What Does "Fully Fashioned" Mean?

Fully fashioned refers to the knitting technique:

• Flat knitting: Stockings knit flat on a machine, not circular
• Shaped: Stitches added or removed to follow leg contours
• Seamed: Flat panel sewn together to form tube
• Fashion marks: Visible points where shaping occurred

This method predated circular knitting and produced a superior fit.

The Stocking Frame

The process began with William Lee's 1589 invention:

• Frame knitting: Machine that knitted flat fabric
• Row by row: Needles moved fabric in horizontal rows
• Hand finished: Still required skilled workers to shape and seam
• Slow process: Each stocking took considerable time

For centuries, this was the only way to manufacture knitted stockings.

The Manufacturing Process

Creating fully fashioned stockings involved multiple steps:

1. Flat knitting: Fabric knit in leg-shaped panel
2. Fashioning: Narrowing stitches for ankle, widening for calf/thigh
3. Heel insertion: Separate heel piece knit and attached
4. Toe shaping: Reinforced toe section added
5. Seaming: Panel sewn together up the back
6. Finishing: Dyeing, boarding (shaping), inspection

Each pair might pass through 20+ workers before completion.

The Back Seam

The seam wasn't decorative—it was structural:

• Necessity: Flat-knit panels had to be joined somehow
• Quality indicator: A straight seam showed skilled workmanship
• Fashion feature: Women learned to love the seam
• Etiquette: Straight seams were considered proper

Crooked seams were embarrassing—checking your seams became routine.

Fashion Marks

Authentic fully fashioned stockings had telltale signs:

• Fashion marks: Small dots along the seam showing where stitches were decreased
• Typically 2-3 dots: At ankle, calf, and thigh
• Quality proof: Showed true fashioning, not mock seams
• Collector points: Today's vintage hunters look for these

The Golden Age: 1920s-1960s

Fully fashioned stockings dominated for four decades:

Cuban Heels and Variations

Fully fashioned allowed for decorative heels:

• Cuban heel: Square/rectangular reinforced heel
• French heel: Curved, elongated heel shape
• Point heel: Heel extends to a point up the leg
• Contrast heels: Different color reinforcement

These variations are impossible with circular-knit stockings.

The End of an Era

Circular knitting killed fully fashioned production:

• 1959: Seamless stockings introduced commercially
• Faster production: Circular knitting was much quicker
• Lower cost: Seamless cheaper to manufacture
• Miniskirts: Seams weren't compatible with very short skirts
• Pantyhose: 1960s pantyhose were seamless by nature

By 1970, most fully fashioned production had ceased.

Seamless Takes Over

Seamless stockings offered advantages:

• No seam worry: Nothing to straighten
• Modern look: Cleaner, sleeker appearance
• Comfort: No seam running down the leg
• Cost: Significantly cheaper to produce

Women embraced the convenience, abandoning seams for decades.

Revival and Vintage Appeal

Fully fashioned stockings never completely disappeared:

• Vintage collectors: Original pairs are valuable
• Period costume: Essential for 1940s-50s accuracy
• Lingerie brands: Specialty makers revived production
• Seamed stockings: Modern versions often fake the seam

Modern Fully Fashioned

A few companies still make true fully fashioned stockings:

• Gio Stockings: UK manufacturer using original machines
• What Katie Did: Vintage-style reproduction
• Secrets in Lace: American retailer of FF stockings
• Cervin: French manufacturer

Prices reflect the hand labor: $20-50+ per pair versus $5-10 for seamless.

Identifying Authentic Vintage

How to spot real vintage fully fashioned stockings:

• Fashion marks: Look for dots along the seam
• True seam: Should be raised, not just a printed line
• RN numbers: US stockings have registered numbers
• Packaging: Original boxes increase value
• Gauge: Thread count often printed on package