Stockings

Stockings, originally designed for practical purposes, soon transformed into a fashionable accessory with the invention of the knitting frame in 1589 and then the circular-knitting machine in 1816. This technology allowed for a tighter weave and a better fit. Also, it was much easier to produce stockings, making them more affordable and readily available to a larger public. Plain white stockings were in mode for quite some time, until the mid to late-1800s when hemlines rose, and the ankle was revealed. This change in fashion called for colorful and fanciful motifs to decorate the lower leg, a visually appealing effect.

The beautiful patterning in the upper band of this pair of stockings makes them an excellent example of the fine styling in hosiery. The design at the thigh band exemplifies the seductive sensibility of hosiery, even though it is no longer at the ankle as in other styles of fin-de-siècle.