16 Classic Photos That Capture Nylon Stockings’ Allure In The 1940s And 1950s
Before the 1920s, stockings, if worn, were worn for warmth. In the 1920s, as hemlines of dresses rose, people began to wear stockings to cover the exposed legs. These stockings were sheer, first made of silk or rayon (then known as “artificial silk”), and after 1940 of nylon.
The introduction of nylon in 1939 by chemical company DuPont began a high demand for stockings in the United States with up to 4 million pairs being purchased in one day. Nylon stockings were cheap, durable, and sheer compared to their cotton and silk counterparts. When America entered World War II on December 11, 1941, DuPont ceased production of nylon stockings and retooled their factories to produce parachutes, airplane cords, and rope. This led to a mass shortage and creation of a black market for stockings. At the end of the war DuPont announced that the company would return to producing stockings but could not meet demand. This led to a series of disturbances in American stores labeled the nylon riots until DuPont was able to ramp up production.
h/t: vintag.es
Woman inspecting her nylon stockings, 1942
Thomas D. McAvoy—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A model wearing “hotsies,” wool-lined silk faille girdle and bra, 1942
Gjon Mili—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
“Curtain” stockings, 1943
Walter Sanders—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
“Curtain” stockings, 1943
Walter Sanders—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Nylon stockings, 1945
Peter Stackpole—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Model wearing black stockings, fitted dress coat, fur trimmed hat and fur muff, adjusting garter, 1946
Gjon Mili—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Model with stockings, 1948
Peter Stackpole—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Lace stockings with panels that run to mid-calf and enhance slim ankles, 1948
Nina Leen—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Chorus girl Linda Lombard, resting her legs after a tough night on stage, 1949
George Silk—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Model wearing black nylon hose permanently attached to high heeled satin mules by Herbert Levine, 1950
Gjon Mili—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Dancer Mary Ellen Terry talking with her legs up in telephone booth, 1952
Gordon Parks—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Cancan dancers flinging up their legs while they dance in Paris, 1952
Nat Farbman—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Model wearing new stay-up stocking with elastic cord spiraling around thigh, 1954
Gjon Mili—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Teenage girls resting feet at a formal dance, 1954
Cornell Capa—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Stockings and garters, 1954
Gordon Parks—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene at a beatnik night club, 1960
A. Y.—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
