Model wearing black nylon hose permanently attached to high heeled satin mules by Herbert Levine, 1950. (George Silk-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) (Nina Leen-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)Ĭhorus girl Linda Lombard, resting her legs after a tough night on stage, 1949. Lace stockings with panels that run to mid-calf and enhance slim ankles, 1948. (Peter Stackpole-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) (Gjon Mili-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) Model wearing black stockings, fitted dress coat, fur trimmed hat and fur muff, adjusting garter, 1946. (Walter Sanders-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)
McAvoy-The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)Ī model wearing "hotsies," wool-lined silk faille girdle and bra, 1942. Woman inspecting her nylon stockings, 1942.
This led to a series of disturbances in American stores labeled the nylon riots until DuPont was able to ramp up production. 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 mass shortage and creation of a black market for stockings. 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. Nylon stockings were cheap, durable, and sheer compared to their cotton and silk counterparts. 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.