Pair of Socks
ca. 1904 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
People have been wearing socks since at least the 8th century, but socks really came into their own at the beginning of the 19th century, when men began wearing trousers instead of breeches. (They had previously worn stockings but socks were easier to keep in place beneath a trouser leg.) By the 1840s they were being made with ribbed cuffs, so that they did not fall down. Men's socks were usually made of cotton, merino or silk.
Ownership & Use
These socks would have been worn during the day or evening and would have added a touch of colour to the owner's dress. Although black was a fashionable colour for socks, brighter colours were also worn, such as scarlet, bright blue and green. The writer Lytton Strachey is shown wearing olive green socks with a grey suit and a green tie in a portrait of 1904 by Simon Bussy.
Trading
Technological improvements led to a great expansion in the stocking-making industry after 1850. This meant that socks could be manufactured in greater numbers. I. & R. Morley Ltd. was probably the largest firm in the 1890s, employing thousands of workers and with factories and warehouses in London and the provinces. By this time the company was producing knitted underwear and sports garments as well as socks and stockings.
People have been wearing socks since at least the 8th century, but socks really came into their own at the beginning of the 19th century, when men began wearing trousers instead of breeches. (They had previously worn stockings but socks were easier to keep in place beneath a trouser leg.) By the 1840s they were being made with ribbed cuffs, so that they did not fall down. Men's socks were usually made of cotton, merino or silk.
Ownership & Use
These socks would have been worn during the day or evening and would have added a touch of colour to the owner's dress. Although black was a fashionable colour for socks, brighter colours were also worn, such as scarlet, bright blue and green. The writer Lytton Strachey is shown wearing olive green socks with a grey suit and a green tie in a portrait of 1904 by Simon Bussy.
Trading
Technological improvements led to a great expansion in the stocking-making industry after 1850. This meant that socks could be manufactured in greater numbers. I. & R. Morley Ltd. was probably the largest firm in the 1890s, employing thousands of workers and with factories and warehouses in London and the provinces. By this time the company was producing knitted underwear and sports garments as well as socks and stockings.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Machine-knitted silk, embroidered, ribbed cuff |
| Brief description | Pair of man's socks of machine knitted and embroidered silk, manufactured by I. & R. Morley, England, ca. 1904. |
| Physical description | Pair of dark green socks of amchine knitted silk, embroidered with forget me not sprays. It is fully fashioned, with 'M' worked below the ribbed cuff and two holes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | A paper label 'A950/12/4' is stitched at the top. |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by F. H. Hawkins, on behalf of I. & R. Morley Ltd. |
| Object history | Manufactured by I. & R. Morley Ltd., London |
| Summary | Object Type People have been wearing socks since at least the 8th century, but socks really came into their own at the beginning of the 19th century, when men began wearing trousers instead of breeches. (They had previously worn stockings but socks were easier to keep in place beneath a trouser leg.) By the 1840s they were being made with ribbed cuffs, so that they did not fall down. Men's socks were usually made of cotton, merino or silk. Ownership & Use These socks would have been worn during the day or evening and would have added a touch of colour to the owner's dress. Although black was a fashionable colour for socks, brighter colours were also worn, such as scarlet, bright blue and green. The writer Lytton Strachey is shown wearing olive green socks with a grey suit and a green tie in a portrait of 1904 by Simon Bussy. Trading Technological improvements led to a great expansion in the stocking-making industry after 1850. This meant that socks could be manufactured in greater numbers. I. & R. Morley Ltd. was probably the largest firm in the 1890s, employing thousands of workers and with factories and warehouses in London and the provinces. By this time the company was producing knitted underwear and sports garments as well as socks and stockings. |
| Bibliographic reference | Farrell, Jeremy; Socks and Stockings: The Costume Accessories Series, (Batsford, London, 1992) (colour plate 7) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.152&A-1975 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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